Gov't announces successful candidates to host two new regional medical schools

SEJONG, Nov. 4 (Yonhap) -- Two new medical schools will be established at Suncho...

Yonhap NewsKIM, SEONGHUN2026-11-04 14:37查看原文 ↗

Residents of South Jeolla Province rally outside Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, in this file photo from Aug. 18, 2026, demanding the government establish a medical school and hospital at the province's Sunchon National University. (Yonhap)

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SEJONG, Nov. 4 (Yonhap) -- Two new medical schools will be established at Sunchon National University in the southwestern city of Suncheon and Gyeongkuk National University in the southeastern city of Andong, the education ministry announced Wednesday.

Starting in 2030, Sunchon and Gyeongkuk universities will admit 60 and 40 medical students annually, respectively.

The decision came as part of a key government initiative to establish new medical colleges in regions without medical schools in an effort to improve access to medical services in provincial areas, strengthen public healthcare and address shortages of doctors in essential fields, such as pediatrics and surgery.

A government task force comprising officials from the education and health ministries first selected North Gyeongsang and South Jeolla provinces as sites for the new medical schools after finding they suffer from poor access to medical services and need a foundation for training and retaining physicians.

The government then requested the provincial governments to propose suitable universities to host the schools.

While the North Gyeongsang provincial government recommended Gyeongkuk National University, the selection process in South Jeolla Province faced friction.

Sunchon National University and Mokpo National University had originally sought to jointly host a new medical school following their envisioned merger, but discussions over their merger stalled.

The provincial government of South Jeolla recommended Sunchon National University be named the host of a new medical school based on the evaluation of candidates by a local research institute.

Mokpo National University strongly protested the outcome of the evaluation, claiming the review was done hastily and unfairly, and demanded a re-examination of its application. A lawmaker representing Mokpo even went on a hunger strike last month to protest the provincial government's decision.

The education ministry said it reviewed the entire recommendation process and concluded there were no legal or procedural flaws significant enough to reject the province's proposal.

The government said it will form regional steering committees involving local governments, universities and experts in both provinces to support the rollout, along with a support body, comprising officials from the education and health ministries, to assist the overall process.

Residents of South Jeolla Province rally outside Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, in this file photo from Aug. 18, 2026, demanding the government establish a medical school and hospital at the province's Sunchon National University. (Yonhap)

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Lee set for discussion on strengthening regional, essential medical services

Gov't announces successful candidates to host two new regional medical schools

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世宗，11月4日（韩联社）——韩国教育部周三宣布，将在西南城市顺天的顺天国立大学和东南部城市安东的庆国国立大学分别设立两所新的医学院。

从 2030 年开始，顺天大学和庆国大学每年将分别招收 60 名和 40 名医学生。

这项决定是政府一项重要举措的一部分，旨在没有医学院的地区建立新的医学院，以改善省份地区的医疗服务，加强公共医疗保健，并解决儿科和外科等重要领域医生短缺的问题。

由教育部和卫生部官员组成的政府工作组首先选定庆尚北道和全罗南道作为新建医学院的所在地，因为他们发现这两个道医疗服务匮乏，需要建立培训和留住医生的基础。

随后，政府要求各省政府推荐合适的大学来承办这些学校。

尽管庆尚北道政府推荐了庆国大学，但全罗南道的遴选过程却遇到了摩擦。

顺天国立大学和木浦国立大学最初计划合并后共同创办一所新的医学院，但合并谈判陷入僵局。

全罗南道政府根据当地研究机构对候选院校的评估结果，推荐顺天国立大学作为新建医学院的承办院校。