Regional National University Hospitals: "80% of Professors Oppose Transfer from Education to Health Ministry"

Government Pushes for Transfer of National University Hospitals to Health Ministry
8 Out of 10 Professors Express Concerns Over Weakened Educational and Research Capabilities

Regional national university hospitals have voiced their opposition to the government's plan to transfer oversight of national university hospitals to a different ministry.

The Regional Essential Medical Care Task Force of the National University Hospital Association issued a statement on November 10, in the name of nine regional national university hospitals, declaring, "Under the current circumstances, we oppose the transfer of oversight from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Health and Welfare."

The statement was signed by nine of the ten national university hospitals nationwide, excluding Seoul National University Hospital: Kangwon National University Hospital, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Pusan National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeju National University Hospital, Chungnam National University Hospital, and Chungbuk National University Hospital.

Chungbuk National University Hospital. Photo by Yonhap News

The association reported that, according to a survey conducted by Embrain Public from November 4 to 6 among 1,063 professors at the nine regional national university hospitals, 79.9% opposed the transfer of oversight to another ministry. This is an increase from the 73% opposition rate recorded in a similar survey conducted in September.

The association explained that the main reasons cited by professors for their opposition were concerns about the weakening of educational and research capabilities, as well as the lack of an effective, comprehensive, and long-term plan and roadmap to strengthen regional, essential, and public healthcare.

The transfer of national university hospitals to the Ministry of Health and Welfare is one of the key policy tasks of the Lee Jaemyung administration. The goal is to foster national university hospitals as regional hubs to strengthen regional, essential, and public healthcare. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education have formed a consultative body with the heads of national university hospitals to continue discussions, while also conducting sequential visits to the nine national university hospitals.

In their statement, the national university hospitals said, "If the ministry transfer is forced despite 80% opposition from professors, it could actually result in a decline in the capacity of regional, essential, and public healthcare services," adding, "More time for discussion and deliberation is needed to prevent the issue of ministry transfer from escalating into another conflict between the government and the medical community."

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