Suncheon Mayor Son Hun-mo has dismissed objections from Mokpo University over the campus site designated for the planned National Chonnam Medical School, calling the university's claims "misunderstandings and speculation."
Son posted a message on his Facebook page Monday under the title "A word from me, as Suncheon's mayor and as a lawyer," saying Mokpo University's objections to Suncheon National University's medical school site were "far-fetched" and that "there is absolutely no problem with the process by which Suncheon National University was selected."
In his opening remarks, Son said claims that the site issue involved "illegal conduct" or "false information" were "entirely irrational and legally unfounded," adding that the core facts were being distorted and that he felt compelled to set the record straight in his dual capacity as mayor and attorney.
He said it was important to distinguish between the candidate selection evaluation for the national medical school and the separate, later stage of actually establishing and operating the school.
Son said the review of candidate sites for the National Chonnam Medical School was not an assessment of whether an institution currently holds title to land — as specified in university establishment regulations — but rather an evaluation of a site's location, scale and acquisition plan. He added that even under Article 2 of the university establishment and operation regulations, land ownership is a condition for establishment approval, not a condition for applying as a candidate site, and that Suncheon National University's selection was therefore without issue.
Mokpo University, which was passed over in the candidate site review, has pushed back, arguing that Suncheon National University's submission of only an MOU for a free lease of city-owned land violated relevant laws. The university has filed a lawsuit on the merits and applied for an injunction to suspend the decision.
Son questioned the consistency of Mokpo University's position, noting that media reports indicated the proposed medical school site for Gyeonguk National University in Andong was also not state-owned land currently held by that university. "If that is the case, does Mokpo University's argument mean that Gyeonguk National University's plan is also wrong, and Suncheon National University's is wrong too — and only Mokpo University is right?" he said.
Son also expressed regret that Mokpo had gone back on an agreement reached Aug. 29, under which both Suncheon and Mokpo had agreed to accept and abide by the outcome of the medical school review.
Son said Suncheon, the city council and Suncheon National University had already signed an MOU to secure the site before the medical school evaluation took place, and that the city planned to fulfill all establishment conditions through proper administrative procedures in accordance with university establishment and operation regulations.
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