복잡해진 신설 국립의대 선정…경북은 제출, 전남광주는 방식 변경 건의

The complex situation surrounding the selection of a new national university hospital in Jeollanam-do has created a dilemma between Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do provinces. The issue began when Jeollanam-do failed to submit the required "university hospital establishment preliminary plan" by the deadline set by the Ministry of Education.

The government had proposed establishing a new university hospital by integrating the existing Gyeongsangbuk-do University Hospital and Jeollabuk-do University, but the two universities had conflicts over the location and established the plan discussions came to a halt.

Jeollanam-do, in response to the government's proposal, submitted a request to modify the guidelines for the establishment of a new university hospital based on the integration of the two existing universities. They requested the Ministry of Education and Welfare to reconsider their current guidelines, which propose a new university hospital with 100 seats, given that the region currently has no hospital. The proposed guidelines were based on the 36-year-old demand for a university in the region.

Meanwhile, Gyeongsangbuk-do submitted a "university hospital establishment preliminary plan" that includes the establishment of a 100-seat university hospital and a 500-bed sub-hospital in the northern region to address the lack of medical facilities. The region currently has only one superior integrated hospital, excluding Sejong, which has no hospital. The population density of 1,000 people per doctor in Gyeongsangbuk-do is the lowest among the 16 provinces, at 1.4 doctors per 1,000 people.

The government's position becomes more complicated due to Jeollanam-do's request to modify the guidelines for university hospital establishment. If the guidelines are changed, Gyeongsangbuk-do may feel threatened, and if the existing guidelines are maintained, there may not be any candidate regions for the university hospital, leading to a loss.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that they need to consult with the Ministry of Education and Welfare regarding the contents of the application documents and that the number of seats is not fixed.