Will the Busan National University Hospital Acquire the Closed Juwon Elementary Site? Discussions Halted Due to Vacancy of Superintendent
Juwon Elementary School, located in the Geumgok-dong area of Busanjin-gu, Busan, was closed as of March 1st. As a result, discussions on how to utilize the site have come to a standstill.
In particular, officials from Busan National University Hospital, which has been planning to acquire the site for hospital expansion, feel frustrated as discussions are delayed due to the vacancy of the superintendent position.
Desperate Request for Site Acquisition by the National University Hospital
The site of the closed Juwon Elementary School is about 10,000㎡ and is located in the city center, making it highly usable. Considering this, Busan National University Hospital plans to acquire the site to expand the hospital centered around a comprehensive emergency center and continuously states its intention to relocate existing facilities.
Since its opening in 1979, Busan National University Hospital has faced criticism for outdated facilities and limited space. Therefore, the hospital is proposing to utilize the Juwon Elementary site to expand educational facilities such as medical schools and health graduate schools, improving local medical infrastructure.
This plan is expected to provide an opportunity for the local residents to receive enhanced medical services.
City Education Office's Reluctance... Vacancy of Superintendent as a Variable
The sale of the site is not easily decided. According to the 'Special Law for Promoting the Utilization of Closed Schools', closed school sites must be utilized for educational facilities or social welfare facilities and contribute to community development.
For this reason, the Busan City Education Office maintains the stance that it is difficult to sell the site for the expansion of a hospital operated by a private foundation.
During Ha Yun-soo's tenure as superintendent, discussions were held on adding educational facilities such as student health promotion centers and extended schooling to secure public interest for the hospital; however, these discussions have returned to square one due to the current vacancy of the superintendent.
There is hope that discussions on the utilization of the site will resume.
Delayed Decisions Amid Community Expectations
In November last year, the Busan City Education Office's Closed School Utilization Committee collected opinions on the utilization plan for the closed Juwon Elementary School site. The city of Busan has conveyed various opinions to the Education Office, including ▲ strengthening severe treatment functions and expanding medical education facilities ▲ creating a park golf course ▲ establishing cultural-based facilities and artist creation spaces.
However, according to the Education Office's stance, there is a high likelihood that the final decision will be postponed until a new superintendent is elected. As a result, curiosity and concern are growing in the community.
Regarding this, the hospital emphasizes that the community's demand for hospital expansion is very high and that it can be an alternative to prevent the phenomenon of community hollowing and create economic ripple effects. A representative from the hospital stated, “The expansion of the hospital is no different from fulfilling the role of a public good. However, it is unfortunate that discussions have not progressed at all due to the absence of the superintendent.”
It is hoped that the various voices from the community will be reflected, and attention needs to be paid to the ongoing developments.
Discussions on Utilization Plans Must Be Swift
The City Education Office is keeping the possibility of selling the site through general bidding open if there is no clear utilization plan. However, given the uniqueness of a closed school in the city center, there is growing demand for swift discussions that ensure community development and public interest.
If the expansion of Busan National University Hospital materializes, it could positively impact not only the enhancement of medical infrastructure but also the expansion of educational and research facilities. However, if policy decisions are delayed due to the absence of a superintendent, there is a high likelihood that the site will remain abandoned for the time being.
Therefore, it is time for the Busan City Education Office and the community to initiate substantial discussions to ensure that the Juwon Elementary School site is utilized in the most optimal way. It is hoped that a plan that considers both community development and public interest will be established.
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