The province has released the business plans submitted by the Greenland International Hospital. The documents clearly state that the scope of patients the hospital would serve is limited to non-Koreans.

However, crucial information on investment is still missing.

Mike Laidman reports.

The Greenland International Hospital was approved last year as the nation's first for-profit hospital on the condition that the scope of patients that the hospital can treat is limited to non-Koreans.

The hospital filed an administrative suit against the province for the limitation.

[slug] Jeju approved hospital on condition, Greenland files suit

Whether or not the limitation is lawful is the major issue, with the plaintiff arguing that it is not.

[slug] Legal issue: limiting who can be treated

As demand for release of the hospital's business plan grew, the province has now made it public following a court ruling.


The business plans clearly limit the scope of the patients that the hospital can treat to foreign travelers.

In particular, Chinese and Japanese tourists are the major target market for the hospital, with Korean patients not included.






The documents say that the hospital will only clinics that don't burden the national health insurance system. It will not stress the country’s public medical system as its market is limited to non-Koreans.


[slug] Greenland's business plans: 100% owned by Greenland

The plan also stated that Greenland would own 100 percent of shares, and that Chinese and Japanese companies that have experience in the field of medical business would participate in the for-profit hospital's business without holding any shares themselves.

[slug] Other companies owned shares back in 2015
[slug] Korean hospital has partnered with Japanese and Chinese companies

However, these Chinese and Japanese companies previously owned 5.6 percent and 1.8 percent of shares, respectively, back in 2015.

And notably, a Korean hospital has joined these companies.

[slug] Plan between investors, profit-sharing - closed to public

The roles the foreign companies take and the profit-sharing plans attached to them are not open to the public under corporate privacy policy.

Recording
Hong Yeong-cheol / Rep., Participatory Environment Solidarity
As the attached documents that contain supporting evidence for the business plan have been sealed. This proves that the business plans are problematic.
<씽크:홍영철 참여환경연대 공동대표>
"계획서를 뒷받침할 수 있는 명확한 증거들이 별첨자료에 있는데 공개하지 않는 것은 결국 사업계획서의 문제점들을 더 명확히 보여주는 증거가 되는 것이 현실입니다."

[slug] Civic groups to file suit demanding release of documents

Civic groups are preparing to file an administrative lawsuit against the province saying that it's unjust not to release the conclusive evidence.

[Reporter] Mike Laidman
[Camera] Kim Yong-min
[CG] Jeong Jae-gyeong

So while the province has made the controversial hospital's business plans open to the public, with some crucial parts missing, suspicions are continuing to grow.

Mike Laidman, KCTV