National medical graduate school to be built in Namwon

Existing Namwon Medical Center to become National Medical Center's Namwon Hospital; curriculum set to launch in 2030

A state-run national medical graduate school will be established in Namwon, North Jeolla Province.

Namwon Medical Center, an existing public health facility, will be converted into the National Medical Center's Namwon Hospital, expanding its capacity to 500 beds to serve as both a clinical hospital and a regional hub.

The school is expected to restore the medical education infrastructure that weakened after Seonam University's medical school closed, while also expanding public health services. The new hospital will serve as a regional hub covering not only Namwon — a gateway city to the Jirisan area — but also Jangsu, South Gyeongsang Province's Hamyang and Sancheong, and South Jeolla Province's Gurye and Gokseong-gun.

The planned site covers 64,792 square meters in the Wolnak-dong area near Namwon Medical Center. The full construction cost of 64 billion won ($46 million) will be funded entirely by the national government.

The national medical graduate school will be a four-year graduate institution established and operated by the state as a special corporation, with an annual enrollment of 100 students. It is set to open in 2029 and begin its curriculum in 2030.

Like the Korea National Police University, students will receive support covering tuition, admission fees, textbooks and dormitory costs. Upon graduation, they will be required to serve for 15 years at public medical institutions.

To meet the school's educational requirements, at least 112 full-time professors are needed under standards set by the Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it plans to operate an additional expert committee to develop a strategy for securing faculty.

North Jeolla Province said it will work with Namwon to swiftly advance preliminary steps — including securing remaining land and completing urban planning procedures — and will cooperate with local politicians to secure the necessary national budget, including design costs for next year. Once the establishment plan takes shape, the province said it will provide the administrative and institutional support needed at each stage.

A North Jeolla Province official said the plan also calls for specializing clinical services in areas of high regional demand — such as cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease and dementia — to strengthen clinical education in community and public health, as well as the hospital's role as a regional hub.