A century of healing: Suncheon's Annyeoksan Hospital and the roots of modern medicine in South Jeolla

A special historical experience awaits visitors in the old downtown of Suncheon.

A program celebrating the legacy of Annyeoksan Hospital — the first general hospital in eastern South Jeolla Province — is set to take place June 27.

Titled "Alexander: A Modern Medical Experience in Suncheon," the event is part of a national heritage utilization project. It is designed to highlight the historical significance of modern medical heritage sites remaining in Suncheon's old downtown and give families a hands-on way to learn about early modern medicine.

Annyeoksan Hospital was established in 1916 by a missionary dispatched by the American Southern Presbyterian Church. Its name is a Korean phonetic rendering of the missionary's name, Alexander, and the site is now preserved as the Annyeoksan Medical Culture Center.

The center occupies what was once an auxiliary ward of the hospital and is the only surviving modern-era structure from the original complex — a building that served the first modern general hospital in eastern South Jeolla Province more than a century ago.

The event opens with a walking tour titled "The Path of Modern Medicine."

Participants will visit key historical sites with expert commentary, including Suncheon's first modern water supply facility and the hospital's former isolation ward, now the Annyeoksan Medical Culture Center.

They will then learn about the impact early modern medical facilities had on local communities and residents' lives, and take part in a range of hands-on activities, including assembling a custom medical kit.

"By combining Suncheon's precious modern heritage with education and hands-on experiences, this will be a chance for children and residents to engage with local history in an easy and enjoyable way," an official from Suncheon's cultural heritage division said.