"Establishment of National Medical School in Jeonnam Must Be Implemented"

Kim Youngrok Jeonnam Governor

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Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, expressed his regret on the 17th that the government's decision to freeze the medical school quota for the 2026 academic year did not mention the establishment of a national medical school in Jeonnam.

He reiterated his demand, saying, "I hope the promise to open the school by the 2027 academic year will definitely be fulfilled."

In a statement released that day, Governor Kim said, "While I understand that the announcement to freeze the recruitment quota is an inevitable measure to normalize medical education, I deeply regret that there was no mention whatsoever regarding the establishment of a national medical school in Jeonnam, which the government had promised in its official statement."

The Jeonnam region, despite having high medical demand due to aging and other factors, is classified as the largest medically underserved area in the country and is the only region without a medical school.

In reality, half of the severe emergency and trauma patients are unable to receive treatment within the golden hour, and every year, 700,000 people travel to other regions for medical care, enduring numerous risks and inconveniences for many years.

Governor Kim urged, "A national medical school must be established in Jeonnam so that Jeonnam residents can enjoy the equal right to health guaranteed by the Constitution, just like all citizens," and added, "This should be given top priority in the discussions of the Medical Workforce Supply and Demand Estimation Committee, which will decide the medical school quota for the 2027 academic year."

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