For-profit Hospital

[Anchor Lead]

The government of Jeju Special Self-governing Province could soon cancel the permit for the first in Korea for-profit hospital, which was to open on Jejudo Island by March 4. Here's more.

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Greenland International Hospital received a permit as the first for-profit hospital in Korea back in December. But as the hospital failed to meet the opening deadline, which was March 4, the government of Jeju Special Self-governing Province notified that it had begun proceedings to cancel the permit. Greenland Group of China, the owner of the hospital, applied for deadline extension on February 26, but its request was declined.

[Soundbite] Ahn Dong-woo(Vice Governor, Jeju Special Self-governing Province) : "They did not request an extension until the deadline was imminent, which demonstrates that their claims made during negotiations are illegitimate and their attitude is not serious enough."

The local government says Greenland Group can only notify authorities of its stance at a hearing. The permit for the opening of Greenland International Hospital at the Jeju Healthcare Town was granted late last year, but the hospital building is subject to provisional attachment of 120 billion won due to a problem involving construction costs. Moreover, authorities learned that the hospital failed to find essential medical staff. The situation became even more complicated when Greenland Group filed a suit against the local government for prohibiting the hospital from treating domestic patients. Greenland Group has declined to comment since filing an official protest against the ban. Meanwhile, domestic medical organizations are urging the central government and the government of Jeju Province to use the upcoming hearing as an opportunity to switch Greenland International Hospital to a public medical facility.