By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

A NEW school specializing in “Oriental medicine” will open this spring, bringing over 100 students from Korea and China.
American Mediscience University will be the first school of its kind in the CNMI, according to its president Dr. Sun U Lee.
AMU was issued a provisional license to operate as a post-secondary institution on island in November last year.
Located in Koblerville, the university will be based in the former Koresco Hotel which now belongs to AMU.
AMU offers three degree programs: Oriental medicine, alternative medicine and beauty arts.
Oriental medicine, Lee said, includes acupuncture which uses the insertion of tiny thread-like needles into specific points on the body.
Lee said there are 11 schools in South Korea that provide the same curriculum.
This spring, he said AMU is ready to accommodate an initial 100 students which it is now recruiting in Korea and China.
Lee said the AMU building has 79 rooms to accommodate its potential students.
Fifty rooms will be used for the student dormitory, 15 for classes, and 14 for administration, research, a laboratory, treatment, faculty lounge and restaurant.
AMU chairman Dr. Kim Sung Kyu said the CNMI’s proximity to Asian countries was among the factors they considered when they decided to open the university here.
“We want to share with the world the importance of Oriental medicine…and establishing our university on Saipan will be a great advantage as it provides easy access to students from other countries,” he said.
AMU will need 50 instructors — 30 from local community and 20 from Korea and China.
It will also hire 20 administrative staff and support employees.
“We are in the process of recruiting our students and employees…and we want to encourage the local community to join our university,” Lee said.