The central government and the South Gyeongsang Province administration collided again Thursday over a regional public hospital recently shut down due to huge losses and labor disputes.

The local assembly recently passed Gov. Hong Joon-pyo’s order to close Jinju Medical Center despite opposition from its union and the central government.

Health and Welfare Minister Chin Young has requested Hong to ask local councilors to reconsider their approval of the shutdown motion.

The ministry criticized the provincial government for making a unilateral decision without consulting with the central government.

“The Health and Welfare Ministry has the legal right to take part in the process of shutting down the hospital or putting its properties on sale because it was partly funded by the central government,” a ministry official said

Hong, the former chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party, immediately refused, saying he is not obliged to comply with the request. The governor told local reporters that he would not attend as a witness to a planned parliamentary inspection on the hospital. He has also refused calls for a local referendum.

The bitter confrontation between the two authorities emerged two days after councilors from the ruling Saenuri Party railroaded the bill for its closure despite fierce protests by the main opposition Democratic Party.

It was approved by a majority of councilors from the ruling party only five minutes after it was put to a vote during an emergency meeting at the provincial assembly.

Hong sparked controversy when he warned that the government would shut down the country’s second-oldest public hospital unless its operations improved. Hong finalized the decision last month.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)