Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon Proposes "Relocating National Medical Center to Bangsan-dong US Military Site"

Construction of Affiliated National Central Infectious Disease Specialized Hospital and National Trauma Center Together

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government has proposed to the government to relocate the National Medical Center to a nearby U.S. military site and establish a new infectious disease specialized hospital.

On the morning of the 28th, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon held a briefing and said, "To enhance South Korea's infectious disease response capabilities, a bold decision is needed to promote the construction of a central infectious disease hospital in the shortest possible time."

The National Medical Center, which opened in 1985 in Euljiro 6-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, has been using an old and cramped building, leading to several discussions about relocation. In 2003, plans were made to expand and reorganize it into a national central hospital, and a new construction relocation project to Wonji-dong, Seocho-gu was promoted. However, after years of stagnation, the hospital ultimately declared the suspension of the relocation plan last year.

In response, Mayor Park proposed to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of National Defense to relocate the National Medical Center to the nearby U.S. Army Engineer Battalion site. He also suggested building an infectious disease specialized hospital together to strengthen the public healthcare system. He reflected on the fact that despite recognizing the need for an infectious disease specialized hospital during the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak, no progress was made before facing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Park said, "I propose the construction of an attached National Infectious Disease Specialized Hospital and a proper National Trauma Center," adding, "Seoul is ready to cooperate to the fullest extent regarding the sale of the National Medical Center site or the use of the Engineer Battalion site." He emphasized, "This is a solution to put an end to the 17-year-long drifting issue of the National Medical Center relocation, establish a public hospital at the center of the nation, protect the health of metropolitan citizens, and strengthen the country's infectious disease response capabilities."

However, since it will take 3 to 4 years to open even if the relocation of the National Medical Center is decided, practical alternatives are also required for the National Medical Center to function effectively as a central infectious disease specialized hospital. Mayor Park said, "What citizens need now is not a future infectious disease specialized hospital but a realistic alternative for the unpredictable mass infections."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.