Residents of the southwestern region of Jeollanam-do gathered in front of the Blue House, carrying the hope of establishing a national medical school that has been pursued for 36 years. Twelve individuals, including lawmakers, local government officials, and university professors, shaved their heads to demand a comprehensive review of the government's recommendation process for the new national medical school in Jeollanam-do.
On September 5, over 300 people, including officials from the Jeollanam-do and Gwangju metropolitan area, held a rally in front of the Blue House, questioning the fairness and legality of the recommendation process for the new national medical school.
Among those who shaved their heads were Representative Kim Won-yi, Mokpo Mayor Kang Seong-hwi, Mokpo City Council Chairperson Lee Hyung-wan, and Park Yong-sik, chair of the special committee for establishing the medical school, along with other local council members and professors from Mokpo National University.
As the head-shaving ceremony began, the atmosphere became solemn. Participants emphasized that the establishment of a national medical school is not merely a competition for university placement but a matter of life and health for residents in the southwestern region, who lack emergency and critical medical infrastructure. They called for a strict review based on law and principles.
They argued that the results of the recommendation process are difficult for the residents, who have waited 36 years for a national medical school, to accept. They insisted that acceptance of the evaluation results must be predicated on a lawful and fair review.
A key issue raised was the adequacy of land acquisition for the candidate university. Participants claimed that a thorough legal review is necessary to determine whether the land acquisition plan submitted by Suncheon National University meets the requirements for establishing a medical school, citing Article 2, Section 6 of the University Establishment and Operation Regulations and Article 13 of the Act on the Management of Public Property and Goods. They questioned whether the plan, based on a free lease agreement of city-owned land instead of state-owned land, was adequately verified during the evaluation process.
They stated, "Acceptance of the evaluation results is only possible when a lawful and fair assessment has been conducted," and emphasized that the issues and suspicions raised during the evaluation process must be thoroughly investigated and corrected to ensure the legitimacy of establishing a national medical school in Jeollanam-do.
Mokpo National University has also initiated legal action. On September 3, the university filed a lawsuit seeking the cancellation of the selection and recommendation of candidate universities for the new national medical school and requested a suspension of the decision. On September 4, it submitted an objection to the Ministry of Education regarding the recommendation for the national medical school in Jeollanam-do.
The head-shaving event highlighted that the backlash against the selection results has escalated from a community response to a collective action involving politicians, universities, and residents.
Participants urged the government to reconsider the entire recommendation process to ensure that the national medical school in Jeollanam-do can secure procedural legitimacy and community trust from the outset, rather than focusing on the advantages or disadvantages of specific universities.
As the dream of a national medical school, long awaited for 36 years, stands at a crossroads, the act of shaving heads by 12 individuals in front of the Blue House symbolically reflects how seriously the residents of the southwestern region are taking the recommendation results. They are now watching closely how the government will address the legal and procedural issues raised and incorporate them into subsequent actions.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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