A former U.S. military base site just north of Seoul will be turned into a giant medical convergence complex by 2021, a local foundation in charge of its construction said Friday.
The site in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, formerly hosted Camp Essayons which was deactivated in July 2006. The Eulji Foundation will invest 650 billion won (US$569.67 million) in building a university campus and its affiliated hospital. It marks the first case of private investment in developing a previous U.S. military location. The groundbreaking ceremony was held earlier Friday.
The hospital is scheduled for completion in October 2020 for an opening in March the following year. It will have a total floor space of 175,521 square meters on 20 floors, including five underground. It will have 1,234 beds, the second highest in the country, as well as two rooftop gardens, a swimming pool, fitness center and golf practice range.
Medical facilities will include specialized centers ranging from neurology, musculoskeletal system and endocrinology to infertility.
The university campus and dormitory will be completed a year ahead of the hospital in November 2019 and open in March 2020. The school will enroll 702 students and have three graduate schools including for nursing, health studies.
The university will focus on producing medical personnel who can help manage lifelong health issues and nurse the elderly as people's life expectancy grows, the foundation said. (Yonhap)