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Graduate medical school planned for southwestern South Korea
South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare has selected Namwon as the site of a national graduate medical school designed to train doctors for the country’s public health system. The school is scheduled to open in 2029 and begin its academic program in 2030.
The campus will be built near Namwon Medical Center in Jeonbuk, a province in southwestern South Korea. Officials said the location would allow students to combine classroom instruction with clinical training at the nearby hospital and other public medical institutions.
Full educational support tied to 15 years of service
The graduate-only institution plans to admit 100 students annually from among applicants who have already completed undergraduate degrees and may bring a range of professional backgrounds. The government will cover tuition, admission charges, textbooks, housing and other educational expenses, while also providing career support during school and after graduation.
In return, graduates will be required to work for 15 years in government agencies or public health institutions. Eligible fields include public hospitals, emergency and disaster medicine, occupational injury care, veterans’ health, infectious disease response, trauma services, health policy and international health.
Medical residency training at an approved public-service institution will count toward the requirement, but mandatory military service will not. The government plans to issue graduates conditional 15-year medical licenses and may suspend or revoke licenses when service rules are violated.
Clinical training across the public health system
Students will be able to train at the National Medical Center, regional public hospitals and other affiliated institutions. The health minister will determine placements after consultation with participating agencies, while doctors completing their service will receive professional education, career development assistance and opportunities for training in South Korea and abroad.
A curriculum committee will define the school’s educational goals and the type of public-service physician it intends to produce. The institution will operate as an independent graduate university under South Korea’s Higher Education Act.
Namwon site chosen after years of preparation
A government committee evaluated the Namwon site based on whether it met the project’s public-service mission, could be developed efficiently, maintained confidence in earlier government commitments and offered room for expansion and regional partnerships.
Officials said much of the property has already been secured, allowing design and construction to move forward toward the 2029 target. The site’s proximity to Namwon Medical Center could also support joint education and research programs and allow some campus facilities to be shared with the community.
The national government first announced plans in 2018 to establish a public medical school in Namwon as part of an effort to narrow regional disparities in health care and address shortages in essential public medical services. Legislation establishing and governing the school passed South Korea’s National Assembly in April and is scheduled to take effect Nov. 27.
Nearby hospital to come under national control
Namwon Medical Center is also set to become a nationally operated hospital affiliated with the National Medical Center. The government plans to expand it in stages to about 500 beds and strengthen care for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, dementia and other regional health needs.
Lee Hyung-hoon, South Korea’s second vice minister of health and welfare, said the site decision reflected years of preparation by national and local governments. He said the ministry would work with Jeonbuk, Namwon and the National Medical Center to keep the school’s 2029 opening on schedule.
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