‘Legal process followed’ with for-profit hospital
Governor says province has no right to revoke approval for facility

The governor says the province has no right to revoke the approval to build the nation’s first foreign-owned for-profit hospital in Jeju, and that the hospital may expand in the future.

At a weekly meeting on Monday, Won Heeryong said the hospital will start off small, with just 47 beds, but in the long run… efforts should be made to help the facility grow, so as to spur medical tourism.

He also said that the owner of the planned commercial hospital had followed all necessary legal procedures… therefore it was beyond the provincial government’s authority to revoke the approval. The governor added that the province would continue to keep a close watch on the investor-owned hospital to make sure it is not misused to illegally invest domestic funds.

These remarks came as several civic groups on Monday called for the Ministry of Health and Welfare to scrap the plan to build the facility.

원지사, "적법절차 거친 영리병원 불허는 곤란"

원희룡 제주특별자치도지사가 최근 복지부 승인을 받은 외국 투자개방형 병원, 즉 영리병원 확대 가능성을 내비쳤습니다.

원 지사는 오늘 주간정책회의에서 제주도 영리병원은 47개병상의 작은 규모로 시작하지만 장기적으로는 고급 체류형 휴양관광으로 갈 수 있도록 효과를 살려 나가야 한다고 밝혔습니다.

또 적법한 승인과 심의를 거친 상황에서 영리병원을 불허하는 것은 행정의 범위를 넘어선 것이라며 앞으로는 국내 자본들이 우회적인 투자수단으로 외국인 투자병원을 악용하는 일이 없도록 관리 감독을 철저히 하겠다고 강조했습니다.

한편, 공공운수노조 의료연대본부 등 시민단체들은 보건복지부에 제주도 영리병원 설립을 승인을 철회하라고 촉구했습니다.