The Supreme Court has ruled that the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province was justified in imposing a condition to “restrict Koreans’ treatment” when it licensed Greenland International Medical Center as the first for-profit hospital in Korea.

The Health and Medical Workers Union welcomed the top court’s ruling, calling for scrapping the law on establishing for-profit hospitals, too.

On June 29, the Supreme Court ruled to dismiss the appeal filed by Greenland Jeju Healthcare Town against Jeju Island in the “Request for the cancellation of a permit to open a foreign medical institution.” The appeal filed by Greenland Jeju, which lost in the second trial, was dismissed, resulting in a final victory for Jeju Island.

A dismissal without an indictment is a dismissal of an appeal without a hearing if the reason for the appeal is not included in the specific grounds of the law.

The medical workers union stated on Wednesday that the ruling should end the for-profit hospital debate.

“The Supreme Court’s ruling makes it virtually impossible for foreign for-profit hospitals to land in Korea to treat Koreans,” the union said. “This is a significant ruling that confirmed that the allowance of for-profit hospitals would shake the foundation of the Korean healthcare system and violate the public interest.”

The provisions of the Jeju Special Act, the Free Economic Zone Act, and the Saemangeum Special Act that allow for-profit hospitals should be removed, and the Gangwon Province Special Bill submitted to the National Assembly should also be scrapped, the union claimed.

“We hope this ruling will lead to practical measures to end the controversy over for-profit hospitals,” it added.