By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter


The government decided to allow local residents to receive medical services at foreign-run hospitals in the free economic zones to be set up in Inchon, Pusan and Kwangyang during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.

``Medical services for native Koreans are inevitable for the establishment of prominent foreign hospitals, which is a key factor for the successful establishment of free economic zones and the government project to make the nation a business hub for Northeast Asia,’’ a Health and Welfare Ministry official said.

According to the government plan, general hospitals, dental clinics and recuperation facilities to be established by foreigners or foreign corporations in the special economic zone will be able to provide medical services to local residents.

But pharmacies operating in the zones will not be allowed to sell medicine to locals, the official said.

Hospitals are expected to have 500-1,000 beds and be completed by around 2008. Health insurance will not cover medical fees at the foreign hospitals.

The planning office of free economic zones is contacting several foreign hospitals to invite competent doctors and medical teams.

The government also pledged to strengthen public medical services to lessen the possible impact that might be caused by foreign hospitals giving services to local patients, allocating a budget of 4 trillion won from 2005 to 2009.

However, controversy is expected on the issue as associations of local doctors and hospitals as well as civic groups are strongly opposed to the plan, saying the measure would result in discrimination against domestic medical institutions.

``Prominent Korean medical manpower should be also used in the establishment of a medical hub for Northeast Asia. The government should scrap such discriminatory policies and give Korean hospitals the same support they are giving to foreign institutions,’’ Kwon Yong-jin, spokesman of the Korean Medical Association said.

Kwon added the government should establish a presidential committee to map out a detailed strategy for the development of the domestic medical service.

The Korean Federation of Medical Groups for Health Rights (KFHR) also denounced the government decision, saying such profit-making hospitals would lead to the collapse of the nation’s medical system, as medical institutions here have not been allowed to become profit-making corporations.

``Also, with wealthy Korean residents visiting these expensive hospitals where health insurance does not cover the medical fees, it will aggravate the gap between the rich and the poor in terms of medical service,’’ the KFHR said in a written statement.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr