The process of gauging public opinion about the nation's first for-profit foreign hospital has begun with two rounds of discussion this week. Here’s Joseph Kim with a report on how authorities plan to learn what local residents think of the issue.

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Two rounds of discussion about the nation's first for-profit foreign hospital, the Greenland International Hospital, have been made in Jeju City and Seogwipo City this week.

People are divided into two groups: one group standing in opposition and the other in favor of the hospital.

Two presentations are given by each group.

Following the presentations, two from each side hold a debate.

The debate will be broadcast by KCTV Jeju and other local stations.
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The debate is getting much attention because it’s the first step of seeking public opinion on the controversial hospital for the province to make a decision on whether or not to approve the business.

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Following the debate, the public opinion poll committee will ask 3,000 area residents about their opinion: pros or cons about the foreign-invested, for-profit hospital.

Among the 3,000 residents, 200 will be later selected proportionally based on their opinion.

The 200 will deliberate on the hospital for three weeks and their discussion results will be submitted to the governor.

Then, the governor will announce the province’s decision based on the discussion results.

The decision is expected to be made mid-September.
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INTERVIEW
Ko Oh-bong / Dir., Provincial dept. of autonomous administration
Now we’ll begin the initial public opinion poll of 3,000 local residents.
인터뷰)고오봉 제주특별자치도 자치행정과장
이후 3천명 대상으로 1차 설문조사를 하게 되는데…

However, the Greenland International Hospital denies the need for the opinion poll.

[slug]
‘Business already approved, so no polling necessary’

It rejected the request for recommending debaters for the debate saying its hospital was already approved in 2015 by national authorities.

Only the Jeju Free International City Development recommended presenters and debaters from the group in favor of the hospital.

The Greenland International Hospital is the nation’s first foreign-invested, for-profit hospital and was approved in December 2015 by the Ministry of Health.

And the hospital building with 47 beds was actually completed in July 2017 and it has been waiting for the province’s green light.

[Reporter] Joseph Kim
[Camera] Park Byeong-joon

People who oppose the plan say that the approval of the for-profit hospital could be a signal gun for the privatization of medical service.

Joseph Kim, KCTV