South Korea's first for-profit hospital will open its doors for patients next year.
The Jeju provincial government revealed on Wednesday that it has approved a Chinese-owned company's move to run the facility on the southern resort island.
Park Hee-jun reports. South Korea's very first for-profit hospital is expected to open next year on Jeju Island.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Jeju Island Governor Won Hee-ryong announced the approval of the opening of the Jeju Greenland International Hospital.
However, it's a conditional approval that only allows treatment for foreign medical tourists visiting Korea.
Treatment is also limited to plastic surgery, dermatology, internal medicine, and family medicine.
And according to the governor,... the hospital will have no effect on the public medical service system, as national health insurance coverage will not apply to the hospital.

The approval comes after months of controversy.
A law inviting for-profit hospitals was passed under President Kim Dae-jung in 2002.
And the Park Geun-hye administration granted permission to Chinese-owned Greenland Group,... to build the Greenland International Hospital within Jeju Healthcare Town.
Civic groups and residents have been protesting against its establishment.
And the province's public opinion committee disapproved of the hospital in October,... leading to delays in the final approval.
But the governor ended up saying yes to the launch, to help revive the regional economy.
The governor apologized for being unable to accept the committee's views,... saying that the decision was made for the future of the province.
But the latest announcement is expected to stir up more opposition,... as it reverses a democratic decision by the public.

Park Hee-jun, Arirang News.