Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Kim Min-seok said on Friday (Nov. 6) regarding the government's announcement to establish new medical schools at Sunchon National University and Gyeongguk National University that "it will serve as a foundation to strengthen vulnerable regional healthcare."

For Mokpo and the southwestern region of South Jeolla Province, which were excluded from the new medical school establishment, he officially called on the government to pick up the pace in building a hospital at the level of an advanced general hospital.

During the Supreme Council meeting that day, Kim said, "The ultimate goal is to establish an ecosystem for essential and public regional healthcare by establishing national medical schools in areas lacking medical infrastructure," adding, "For the establishment of new medical schools to lead to improvements in regional healthcare services, comprehensive efforts such as expanding related infrastructure and improving living and working conditions for medical personnel must be pursued simultaneously."

He continued, "We will also make efforts to improve systems and provide support so that students trained at regional medical schools can settle in the regions as doctors after graduation," adding, "We will also take the lead in resolving healthcare voids in Mokpo and the southwestern region and strengthening the essential public healthcare system."

Kim emphasized, "To this end, we have previously engaged in discussions with the government, and we will derive concrete measures through ongoing coordination of details," adding, "I once again officially request that the government speed up efforts so that a hospital at the level of an advanced general hospital can be established in Mokpo and the southwestern region."

On Nov. 4, the government announced plans to establish new medical schools at Sunchon National University in South Jeolla Province and Gyeongguk National University in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, with the goal of selecting incoming students starting in the 2030 academic year.

The DPK issued a commentary on Friday urging follow-up measures.

Spokesperson Shin Hyun-young stated in the commentary, "The establishment of new medical schools is the starting point, not the finish line, for strengthening regional healthcare," adding, "As it takes a long time from admission and education to training and settling in the region, the government must take responsibility for the entire process through consistent policies and continuous support."

Shin pointed to securing outstanding faculty, expanding educational facilities, and establishing a clinical training system that links teaching hospitals with regional medical institutions as primary tasks.

She also stated, "Mandatory service alone cannot guarantee continuous regional settlement," emphasizing that reasonable compensation, a stable work environment, and favorable living conditions must be established.

She added that since it will take considerable time for newly established medical schools to produce practicing doctors, immediate gaps should also be filled in the meantime by reinforcing capabilities in essential medical fields such as emergency, childbirth, and pediatric care.

Furthermore, she said, "As we have been in consultations with the government to address the healthcare void in Mokpo and the southwestern region, we will make every effort to ensure the establishment of a hospital at the level of an advanced general hospital."

Meanwhile, DPK Strategic Planning Committee Chair Kim Won-i, whose parliamentary constituency is Mokpo, continued his hunger strike for the eighth consecutive day on Friday.

Kim has contended that the evaluation process was unfair when the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City recommended Sunchon National University over Mokpo National University as the candidate for a national medical school.

Consequently, on Oct. 30, he launched a hunger strike, demanding that the Ministry of Education review Mokpo National University's establishment plan as well.

(Photo: Yonhap News)