Seoul Baek Hospital Closure Imminent... Seoul City Focuses on Minimizing Medical Service Gaps

Plans to Implement Urban Planning Support Measures

The Seoul Metropolitan Government stated regarding the closure of Seoul Baek Hospital, "We highly appreciate the role that Seoul Baek Hospital has played as a dedicated infectious disease institution within the city center, and we will continue to consider ways to maintain such an important role going forward."

Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 20th, Inje Academy will hold a board meeting to decide on the 'closure plan of Seoul Baek Hospital.' If the proposal passes, the hospital is expected to close by the end of August.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is carefully reviewing the decision to designate the function of Seoul Baek Hospital within the city center as an urban planning facility to ensure its continuous operation, and plans to proceed with the relevant procedures. Once Jung-gu District Office submits the urban planning facility (comprehensive medical facility) proposal, Seoul will promptly carry out procedures such as public inspection notices to gather residents' opinions and review by the Urban Planning Committee.

Seoul Baek Hospital is the only university hospital in Jung-gu. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to implement urban planning support measures to prevent any medical service gaps in the area.

Seoul also plans to simultaneously review a policy to comprehensively promote the designation of general hospitals in the city center as urban planning facilities to maintain medical functions and prevent sudden loss of public medical services such as emergency care. To this end, in addition to Seoul Baek Hospital located in Jung-gu and Jongno-gu, four other general hospitals (Seoul National University Hospital, Red Cross Hospital, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seran Hospital) will also be reviewed for designation as urban planning facilities to prevent similar situations.

Regarding the criticism that the recent situation at Inje University Seoul Baek Hospital was influenced by the Ministry of Education's deregulation measures allowing private university foundations to convert idle properties into revenue-generating assets, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to propose to the Ministry of Education that land owned by private university corporations for general hospitals should not be arbitrarily sold or have their use changed, just like other idle properties.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, "Medical institutions like Seoul Baek Hospital, which bear social responsibility for citizens' lives, must continue their role with a commitment to the local community, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government will also consider this from multiple perspectives."

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