Song Ha-cheol, president of Mokpo National University, has announced his resignation following the university's failure to be selected as a candidate for the National Medical University in Jeonnam.
This decision comes as the community's 36-year aspiration for a national medical school in western Jeonnam has been thwarted. In taking responsibility for the outcome, President Song has called for local politicians to reflect on their roles and demonstrate accountability in light of this setback.
In a statement on August 31, President Song expressed, "I feel a heavy responsibility as the president for not meeting the hopes of Mokpo citizens and residents of western Jeonnam who have supported the establishment of a medical school for 36 long years. The responsibility for this outcome lies with me, and I hereby resign from my position as president."
He explained that over the past three years, he focused all university resources on establishing the medical school. This included developing necessary curricula, securing educational facilities and faculty, and preparing clinical training systems, moving beyond mere advocacy to concrete plans for the establishment and operation of the medical school.
President Song emphasized that he believed he had addressed all obstacles to the establishment and accreditation of the medical school, stating, "It is regrettable that these efforts were not adequately evaluated."
He also highlighted that during the competitive process with Suncheon University, Mokpo University did not prioritize its own interests. He cooperated with the policies of the former Jeollanam-do government and, after the establishment of the integrated special city of Gwangju-Jeonnam, he believed it was crucial not to lose sight of the larger goal of establishing a national medical school due to internal regional conflicts.
Despite acknowledging his responsibility for the outcome, President Song raised strong concerns about the evaluation process. He pointed out that the final score difference between the two universities was only 1.3 points, questioning the thoroughness of the evaluation that significantly impacted the future of both institutions without adequate verification and prior explanation.
"It is difficult to accept that evaluators, whose expertise was not verified, were convened to conduct evaluations in a short time frame," he said, adding, "Respecting the outcome and questioning the evaluation process are two different matters."
Following President Song's resignation announcement, calls for greater accountability from local politicians have intensified. A local resident, identified as Mr. So (56), remarked, "President Song has devoted himself to the pursuit of a national medical school for the past three years with a sense of urgency, and upon failing to achieve this goal, he has taken responsibility without shifting blame to anyone else. The political community must not evade responsibility or remain silent after the collapse of a 36-year aspiration for the region."
Another resident, Mr. Lee (59), expressed frustration, stating, "While the university president is stepping down to take responsibility, it is disheartening that the political community, which should be accountable for the future and health rights of the residents, has yet to demonstrate a corresponding sense of responsibility." He urged politicians to focus on how to address the healthcare gaps in western Jeonnam rather than engaging in self-serving calculations.
President Song also clarified that the core issue surrounding the national medical school bid is not merely competition among universities or institutional development, but rather the need to address healthcare inequality in western Jeonnam.
He stated, "It is a pressing issue for residents of western Jeonnam to endure health and life inequalities due to their place of residence. We must not allow regions with insufficient population and medical infrastructure to fall behind in the competition for medical school establishment and remain as medically underserved areas."
He called on the government and the Gwangju-Jeonnam integrated special city to present concrete measures to fill the healthcare gaps in western Jeonnam, which has been excluded from the list of candidate universities for the national medical school, and to establish essential and critical medical systems.
President Song concluded, "I will contribute my efforts to ensure that Mokpo National University rises stronger from this outcome and that residents of western Jeonnam receive proper medical services, regardless of where they live."
He added, "While I will step down from the position of president, I will not relinquish my role in supporting Mokpo National University and the western Jeonnam region. I will serve in a capacity that supports the community."
With President Song's resignation, the controversy surrounding the selection results for the national medical school candidates is expected to extend beyond the university level, prompting demands for accountability from local politicians and solutions to the healthcare gaps in western Jeonnam.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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