Hong Nampyo, Changwon Special City Mayor, "Universities and Majors Desired by Youth, Such as Medical Schools, Must Be Established"

Medical and Pharmacy Schools, Law Schools, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine Departments, etc.

"The reason young people leave Changwon is because there are not enough university departments that young people want."

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, said this at a press conference marking his first anniversary in office on the 13th.

Mayor Hong emphasized that while housing stability through apartment supply is necessary to prevent population decline such as youth outflow, it is more important to create ways for young people to make a living.

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, is speaking about the future direction of city administration at the first anniversary press conference of the 8th local government.
[Photo by Lee Seryeong]

He said, "Even if young people want to work as professionals here, the fatal weakness of Changwon is that there are no places to study or jobs to work in those fields," adding, "Changwon's universities do not have professional job-related departments such as medical school, pharmacy, law school, dentistry, or veterinary medicine."

He continued, "As a measure to attract young population and create jobs, we should not only talk about linking companies and manufacturing but also create jobs that young people want in sectors like services, AI, and bio," adding, "Since manufacturing alone cannot absorb the workforce, we need to change the human resource development system by expanding into other directions such as the service industry."

Mayor Hong said, "People say there are only factories for jobs in Changwon, but even those jobs are not many as factories become more automated," and added, "We will collaborate with universities to create departments that young people want and nurture related talents."

He also said he would focus on employment and income linkage following the revitalization of the defense industry, shipbuilding, and nuclear power industry economy.

Regarding attracting a medical school to Changwon National University, he said, "It is said that it is difficult to attract a medical school if there is a university hospital in a metropolitan local government," adding, "Since Gyeongsang National University Hospital already exists in Changwon, one alternative for establishing a medical school has disappeared, but we will prepare appropriate alternatives according to future government policies and unite closely with universities and organizations in the second half of this year."

Mayor Hong said, "We will continue efforts to create a city where young people want to stay and work by implementing youth-related policies including creating youth cultural streets and supporting startups."

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