Mokpo National University has demanded clear explanations from the integrated metropolitan city and the Jeonnam Research Institute regarding the evaluation of site acquisition for the new National Medical University in Jeonnam, stating that evaluations should be based on the plans submitted at the time of assessment.
On September 8, Mokpo National University issued a statement regarding the appropriateness of the integrated metropolitan city's medical school site evaluation, expressing skepticism about the fairness and objectivity of the evaluation process as outlined by the city of Suncheon.
According to Mokpo National University, the evaluation criteria allocated 5 points for 'certainty of site acquisition.' The university emphasized that this criterion was intended to assess how securely the site was acquired at the time of evaluation.
Mokpo National University claimed that Suncheon University’s submitted plan indicated a method of 'free leasing city-owned land' for the medical school site, suggesting that this meant they had already secured the site, thus resolving the site issue earlier than competing universities.
As a result, Mokpo National University argues that the evaluation should have been based on the content and feasibility of the plans submitted at the time of evaluation.
The university pointed out that discussing the possibility of supplementing site acquisition methods after the evaluation could confuse the evaluation timeline with post-evaluation adjustments.
A representative from Mokpo National University stated, "The core issue we raise is whether Suncheon University’s proposed site acquisition method met the relevant requirements at the time, and if not, on what basis the evaluators could rate them equally or higher than Mokpo National University."
The representative also mentioned that discussions surrounding site acquisition have continued following the Ministry of Education's request for supplements, and it should be confirmed whether a specific roadmap for acquiring national land was presented in the submitted plans.
Mokpo National University also called for a public explanation of how the factual basis and penalty criteria outlined in the 'Detailed Operational Guidelines for the Recommendation of Candidate Universities for the Establishment of National Medical Schools' were applied during the evaluation.
The university emphasized, "If there was a discrepancy between the site acquisition method stated in the submitted materials and its actual legal and administrative feasibility, it is necessary to clarify how this was verified during the evaluation process and how it was reflected in the scoring. This is not an attack on any specific university but a minimal requirement to confirm the credibility of the evaluation itself."
Mokpo National University also provided details about its own site acquisition plan.
The university stated that it proposed to utilize approximately 25,000 pyeong of the 50,000 pyeong of national land owned by the Ministry of Education for the medical school, dormitories, and university hospital, while also considering future expansion. They added that they presented a video based on actual designs during the evaluation process to explain the facility layout and construction feasibility.
The university cited the example of Jeonnam University’s Hakdong Campus, arguing that the site proposed by Mokpo National University is sufficient for establishing a medical school and university hospital, even when compared to the size of the site housing a large medical school and an 1,100-bed university hospital and specialty hospitals.
There are voices urging that this issue should not be viewed merely as a fallout from the competition between Mokpo National University and Suncheon University.
Residents in the southwestern region of Jeonnam have been demanding the establishment of a national medical school for 36 years. Mokpo National University believes that the evaluation process must ensure fairness, objectivity, and professionalism, as much as the results themselves.
A representative from Mokpo National University stated, "Acceptance of the results must be predicated on a fair evaluation that everyone can understand. Before asking the residents of the southwestern region, who have waited 36 years, to accept the evaluation results, it is essential to explain without any doubt what materials were used and what judgments were made."
The representative added, "The establishment of a national medical school is not merely a matter of interest for one university; it is a national issue directly related to the lives of residents in medically underserved areas. We urge the integrated metropolitan city and the Jeonnam Research Institute to responsibly respond to the raised questions with objective data and evaluation grounds."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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