An artist’s rendering of Seoul Asan Cheongna Hospital (Photo courtesy of Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority)
A project to construct Korea’s largest medical complex town, including the 800-bed Seoul Asan Cheongna Hospital, in Cheongna International City, Incheon, has begun.
A groundbreaking ceremony for Seoul Asan Cheongna Hospital in the Cheongna Medical Complex Town was held at the hospital site in Cheongna-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, on Dec. 29.
The project has entered full swing approximately four years after the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority selected the Seoul Asan Hospital-KT&G-Hana Bank Consortium as the preferred bidder for the Cheongna Medical Complex Town project.
The project is a venture that requires 3 trillion won investment to develop a site in the Cheongna-dong, Seo-gu, creating general hospitals and medical-bio related industry-academia-research facilities, business and commercial facilities. Seoul Asan Hospital will construct a general hospital with 800 beds in a 2-basement, 19-story building on a site in Cheongna-dong. Positioning itself as a specialized hospital for severe diseases with global competitiveness, it will feature disease-specific specialized treatment centers including a cancer center, heart center, digestive center, and spine and joint center. Originally planned to begin construction in 2023 and open in 2027, the project was delayed by approximately two years due to delays in administrative procedures including permits and land purchase contracts. The land purchase contract was signed in 2023, construction permits were completed last year, and construction has now begun.
By 2030, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) research institute and Harvard Medical School Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research institute will be housed in Korea’s largest medical complex town, which will be developed alongside the hospital. A Life Science Park featuring startup and educational facilities and elderly welfare facilities equipped with senior healthcare services will also be established.
Incheon City expects the medical complex town project to enhance citizens’ health rights, create quality jobs, and simultaneously revitalize the local economy.
According to the business proposal submitted in 2021, the construction of Cheongna Medical Complex Town is expected to generate direct employment for 5,000 people and production-inducing effects of 3.8 trillion won (based on 30 years of operation). The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, Seoul Asan Hospital President Park Seung-il, and executives from Cheongna Medipolis PFV (project corporation) shareholders including KT&G, Hana Bank, Woomi Construction, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, ActnerLab, and Hana Asset Trust.
Mayor Yoo said, “I expect Seoul Asan Hospital, which is recognized worldwide, to grow into a future-oriented global hospital based on Incheon’s competitiveness and world-class research institutions.”
Seoul Asan Hospital President Park stated, “Seoul Asan Hospital has established itself as a global hospital leading Korea’s medical development through continuous challenges and innovation,” adding, “Based on our world-class severe disease treatment capabilities, we will strengthen cooperative systems with regional medical institutions and achieve mutual prosperity with the local community.”
