It’s been twenty years since CWNU has pushed for the establishment of a medical school. CWNU has been trying to found a medical school from mid-1990s, however, couldn’t receive the sanction of the government each time. Nevertheless, the attempt to establish one still goes on.

President Choi Hae-bum now works on it after taking office, just as his predecessors did. Last June, Choi and Ahn Sang-soo, the Mayor of Changwon-si, signed an MOA for establishing Industrial Medical School in CWNU. Also, CWNU submitted a written plan to the Ministry of Education on September 22. The plan includes industrial medical personnel’s working area, managing attached hospital and securing financial resources. There was a signature campaign and prayer ritual wishing to set up a medical school during the Bongrim Daedong-je period.

The recent change in the plan for a medical school is turning its direction to ‘Industrial Medical School’. It emphasizes the necessity of fostering experts in this field to prevent and manage increasing workplace accidents. In fact, Korea was ranked 3rd out of 30 OECD member nations for industrial disaster death rates. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, more than 10,000 workers in Gyeongnam receive injuries from performing their jobs every year.

However, Korea has no ‘Industrial Medical School’ among 41 Medical Schools. There are concerns about whether this point is a chance for CWNU or an impractical strategy. On the other hand, the medical community is negative about a new form of Medical School. It could cause oversupply of health care professionals in occupational & environmental medicine.

Even though each new CWNU president promises to establish a medical school, none has ever fulfilled the pledge. As public interest in a medical school is at the height, hope that the efforts by both CWNU and Changwon-si bring out good results.

Lee Ha-eun  -

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