The Greenland Group decided to shut down operations of Greenland International Hospital in Jeju Healthcare Town after the local government’s decision to revoke the hospital’s license.

Over the past 4 years, the group tried to establish the nation’s first for-profit hospital for by investing large sums of money to cover 70 percent of the funds needed to construct the health care town.

Joseph Kim will briefly tell us about the history of Greenland’s activities in Korea.

The building for the Greenland International Hospital was completed in 2017 in the Jeju Healthcare Town in Seogwipo.

[slug] Hospital completed in 2017, operation delayed for 15 months

The hospital planned 4 departments including a cosmetic surgery department and 46 beds for inpatients.

But the approval of the business license had been delayed for 15 months.

At a public opinion poll held in October 2018, islanders voiced their opposition to the hospital.

Meanwhile, the provincial government approved the nation's first for-profit investor-owned hospital on December 5, 2018 on condition that the scope of patients that the hospital can treat would be limited to non-Koreans.

Recording (in December 2018)
Won Hee-ryong / Governor
The local government granted a conditional approval to restrict the hospital’s clientele to foreigners.
<씽크:원희룡 지사(지난해 12월)>
"녹지국제병원과 관련해 내국인 진료는 금지하고 진료 대상을 제주를 방문한외국인 의료 관광객으로 제한하는 조건부 개설허가를 했습니다."

Soon after, Greenland filed a lawsuit against the provincial government for the limitation.

Greenland failed to open its hospital within the required time of 3 months after the business license was issued.

The license was canceled on April 17th, 22 days after a hearing to revoke the approval was held on March 26th of this year, and four months after the hospital’s business plans were conditionally approved in December of last year.

Recording (in March)
Won Hee-ryong / Governor
According to Article 64 of Medical Law, the hospital’s license was revoked due to Greenland Group’s failure to open the facility within the legal deadline without a “reasonable cause”.
<씽크:원희룡 제주특별자치도지사(지난 달)>
"개원을 위한 실질적인 노력도 없었다고 판단하고 의료법 64조에 따라 조건부 개설허가를 취소하기로 결정했습니다."

Greenland has recently announced that it will give up the hospital business as the province canceled the license without response to Greenland’s requests for buyout of the hospital or license permission without limitation.

As the developer withdraws from the Jeju Healthcare Town, the hospital building belongs to no one.

[Reporter] Joseph Kim
[Camera] Kim Seung-cheol
[CG] Kim Eun-kyo

Another round of legal battles on procedure and responsibilities between the province and Greenland is likely coming.

Joseph Kim, KCTV