A Public Hospital for Western Gyeongnam to Be Established in Jinju, Gyeongnam

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Ju-cheol In] The Jinju Medical Center, which was closed during former Gyeongnam Governor Hong Jun-pyo's tenure, will reopen as a public hospital responsible for public healthcare in Western Gyeongnam.

Kim Kyung-soo, Governor of Gyeongnam, recently held a briefing at the Gyeongnam Provincial Government briefing room on the site selection for the establishment of a public hospital in Western Gyeongnam, announcing that the former Yeha Elementary School site in Jeongchon-myeon, Jinju City, was selected as the first priority.

The evaluation committee conducted assessments last year through a public discussion process on three candidate sites: the former Yeha Elementary School site in Jinju, the area near the Noryang parking lot by Namhae Bridge in Namhae-gun, and the area around San 27-1, Jingyo-ri, Jingyo-myeon, Hadong-gun.

In seven categories and twelve detailed items including accessibility, securing personnel, will and plans, environmental characteristics, ease of construction and expandability, improvement effects on medical vulnerability, and resident participation, the former Yeha Elementary School site in Jinju City received the highest score.

Governor Kim Kyung-soo said, “On behalf of Gyeongnam Province, I sincerely apologize to many who suffered due to the closure of Jinju Medical Center,” and added, “We will ensure that the sacrifices and pain of the past eight years are not in vain by definitely improving the level of public healthcare in Western Gyeongnam.”

The newly constructed Western Gyeongnam Public Hospital will be promoted as an exemption from preliminary feasibility study, following discussions between Gyeongnam Province and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, alongside public hospitals in the western Busan area and eastern Daejeon area.

Gyeongnam Province plans to complete the establishment and operation plan and feasibility study by the end of August for the former Yeha Elementary School site in Jinju, which was selected as the first priority site.

Additionally, after review and approval by the Local Medical Center Establishment Deliberation Committee, the project plan will be submitted to the Ministry of Health and Welfare by the end of September. Subsequently, after local financial investment review and design competitions, construction could begin as early as 2023.

The Western Gyeongnam Public Hospital Establishment Citizens' Movement Headquarters stated, “We warmly welcome this,” and added, “The newly established public hospital should not only provide essential medical services to the residents of Western Gyeongnam but also serve as an infectious disease dedicated hospital, secure excellent medical staff, and establish a system for resident participation in hospital management, becoming an innovative public hospital.”

They also stated, “The Movement Headquarters will join forces and wisdom with the residents to make this hospital a reliable health guardian for the people of Western Gyeongnam and a public hospital loved by all residents.”

Governor Kim said, “Since the disappearance of Jinju Medical Center in 2013 and during the response to the novel coronavirus infection, we realized how significant a loss it was not to have Jinju Medical Center in infectious disease response,” and added, “The newly built Western Gyeongnam Public Hospital will be designated as a regional responsibility medical institution within the integrated medical belt by region, raising the quality of public healthcare so that residents of Western Gyeongnam can receive high-quality medical services.”

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