IFEZ Journal

IFEZ Creates a Medical Mecca 

with a Global Specialized Hospital Complex

IFEZ plans to attract a global specialized hospital complex in Songdo International City. 

This complex comprises professional medical facilities, including a medical school campus, research facilities, 

and reagent-production facilities, as a mecca for cell therapy, anti-aging, and infertility treatment.

Specialized Hospital, Focusing on Treatment Areas

IFEZ signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Sungkwang Medical Foundation (CHA Medical Center) for a global specialized hospital. IFEZ will prepare an overall business-promotion plan according to the MOU, while CHA General Hospital plans to specify the contents of the global specialized hospital and establish a detailed construction plan. In addition, the two parties will cooperate in actively recommending system improvements to the government for operating the global specialized hospital.

The global specialized hospital construction project aims to lead future medical industry trends and become competitive in care for foreign patients. In detail, CHA General Hospital plans to build medical facilities, such as an infertility hospital, clinical trial center, stem-cell treatment center, and bio-cell bank, as well as CHA University (Songdo Campus), research facilities operated by CHA Biogroup, and reagent-production facilities. These facilities will help Songdo International City become a mecca for cell therapy, anti-aging, and infertility treatment.

CHA General Hospital is the only medical center in Korea to receive clinical approval for embryonic stem-cell therapy, holding 88 cell-culture-related patents. This hospital successfully performed in vitro fertilization and fallopian tube baby procedures for the first time as a private medical center in the country. In addition, this hospital developed the egg-freezing method using quick freeze and established the world’s first egg bank. CHA General Hospital operates 24 overseas and five domestic infertility centers, boasting expertise in cell therapy and infertility. 

Songdo, a Global Medical Mecca

To create a global specialized hospital in Songdo International City, IFEZ is discussing a plan to purchase the Songdo International Hospital site (28-1 Songdo-dong), build a hospital, and lease it to CHA General Hospital. This site, currently owned by New Songdo International City Development, LLC (NSIC), has sat as bare land for 20 years. There is an urgent need to attract investment to this site in order to revitalize nearby commercial districts; however, since the government has approved the land as a general hospital site, changing it for other uses is challenging. Coincidentally, IFEZ promotes construction by attracting large general hospitals, such as Songdo Severance Hospital and Cheongna Asan Medical Center. In other words, there are limits to attracting another large general hospital to this site. Therefore, IFEZ has decided to draw in a specialized small and medium-sized general hospital to this site to cover non-overlapping medical departments, aiming to make it globally competitive and stirring up the potential to create high-added value in the future.

Opening a global specialized hospital in Songdo International City will expand the possibilities for treating severe diseases, such as rare diseases and cancer. IFEZ also expects that it will contribute to solving the problem of low birth rates and the demographic cliff and will attract foreign patients.

Location Songdo International City I-11 Block  (28-1 Songdo-dong)

Area 80,719㎡

Facilities Medical, education/research, industrial, and support facilities

Budget About KRW 1.5 trillion

Developers CHA General Hospital and Biogroup