Changwon Mayoral Candidate Myeongsang Kang Proposes 'Changwon Clinical Education Campus' Utilizing Gyeongsang National University Medical School Quota

Myeongsang Kang, a preliminary candidate for mayor of Changwon and a former medical professional, has announced a plan to establish a "Changwon Clinical Education Campus" linked to the planned expansion of the medical school enrollment quota at Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine. He presented a realistic strategy for attracting a medical school to Changwon.

On March 17, during a press conference, Kang stated, "Attracting a medical school to Changwon is not just a political slogan but a national policy initiative that requires actionable strategies." He added, "As a candidate with a medical background, I want to explain to citizens the practical ways to move this forward."

Myeongsang Kang, a preliminary candidate for mayor of Changwon, is announcing his policy pledges.

He explained that, as of now, there are four main methods for establishing or attracting a medical school in Korea. The first is to establish a new medical school.

This method involves the government assigning new quotas and allowing universities to open medical schools. However, Kang noted that due to issues surrounding quota policies and conflicts within the medical community, this approach is difficult to implement in practice.

The second method is for an existing university to transfer its medical school or for a university to absorb a medical school from a closing institution. However, since such cases are rare, this method is considered to have low feasibility.

The third method is to attract a public medical school or a national graduate school of medicine. While this approach depends on the passage of related bills in the National Assembly and is subject to various political factors, Kang noted it is still worth monitoring the developments.

The fourth method is to collaborate with a university that already has a medical school to establish a medical education campus. Kang explained that, among these, "the fourth method—which allows for the simultaneous development of medical education and clinical training environments—is currently one of the most realistic approaches."

In particular, he highlighted the government's recent policy to expand medical school quotas, noting that the enrollment at Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine is set to increase gradually. He proposed a strategy to link this expansion to the medical infrastructure in Changwon.

Kang said, "We will pursue the establishment of a 'Changwon Clinical Education Campus' by connecting the expanded quota at Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine with local medical sites, utilizing Changwon Gyeongsang National University Hospital and major local teaching hospitals."

Kang emphasized, "A medical school cannot simply be built as a standalone institution; a university hospital, teaching hospitals, and a clinical education system must be established together. The Changwon Clinical Education Campus is a strategy that takes these practical requirements into account."

He also presented a five-step strategy to attract a medical school. The first step is to form a medical education cooperation task force involving Gyeongsang National University, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, and Changwon City, and to develop a model for expanding clinical education for medical students centered around Changwon Gyeongsang National University Hospital.

The next steps include expanding partnerships with local teaching hospitals such as Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital as affiliated clinical education hospitals, working with the Ministry of Education to push for the establishment of a medical education campus in Changwon, and, in the long term, building the foundation for an independent medical school in Changwon.

Kang also analyzed why efforts to attract a medical school to Changwon have not yet succeeded. He said, "Although there has been strong public support and political justification, the lack of a concrete implementation model that could persuade both the Ministry of Education regarding quotas and the university and hospital systems simultaneously was a limitation."

He added, "Establishing the Changwon Clinical Education Campus is a much more realistic and step-by-step strategy than trying to build a new medical school from scratch."

At the end of the press conference, Kang proposed a "pledge swap" to other mayoral candidates. He stated, "I propose that, among the pledges presented by each candidate, any good policies that contribute to Changwon's development and benefit citizens' lives should be pursued together by the final candidate after the primaries. While elections are about competition, the future of Changwon must be built through cooperation."

Finally, Kang emphasized, "Attracting a medical school to Changwon is not simply about founding a university; it is about building the city's infrastructure to protect the lives and health of its citizens. We will pursue this with actionable strategies, not just slogans."

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