Mokpo and Sunchon national universities to merge, establish medical school by 2026
Published: 18 Nov. 2024, 15:42
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- LEE TAE-HEE
- [email protected]
![Sunchon National University President Lee Byung-woon, left, and Mokpo National University President Song Ha-cheol pose for a photo after signing an agreement to merge by March 2026. [MOKPO NATIONAL UNIVERSITY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/11/18/9d0d81e3-63f6-4508-8834-0cc2fb2a022e.jpg)
Sunchon National University President Lee Byung-woon, left, and Mokpo National University President Song Ha-cheol pose for a photo after signing an agreement to merge by March 2026. [MOKPO NATIONAL UNIVERSITY]
Mokpo National University and Sunchon National University will merge by March 2026.
“In a promising turn of events, the two universities were able to reach an agreement to merge and create a medical school within the merged university,” said South Jeolla Gov. Kim Yung-rok during a press conference on Monday. “We thank the universities for their efforts.”
The universities announced Saturday that they will merge by March 2026, with detailed merger plans to be submitted to the Ministry of Education in December.
A merger committee will be formed to oversee the next steps of the process. Plans include creating a joint medical school within the merged university.
Gov. Kim said that he would seek government approval for the establishment of the medical school. Since South Jeolla currently lacks a medical school, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said in March that the government would assist the province with the necessary procedures once a host university was chosen.
Mokpo National University and Sunchon National University will also apply for certification from the Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation — a requirement for universities creating new medical schools — as a merged institution.
According to the universities’ joint statement, both parties will “prepare for the merger and establishment of the medical school on equal terms that ensures fairness in all aspects.”
Once the merger plan and medical school receive approval from the Ministry of Education, South Jeolla will support the universities in building a university hospital.
Gov. Kim previously announced in October that the two universities had agreed on a merger in broad terms, which the universities refuted, stating that no final decision had been made.
Despite the disagreement, Mokpo National University and Sunchon National University said their decision to move forward with the merger on Saturday was made to “foster regional cooperation and future growth.”
BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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