"Director Yoo Hee-seok's Swearing Recording, Professor Lee Guk-jong Recorded It 5 Years Ago"

Director Yu Hee-seok tells Professor Lee Guk-jong, "Quit, you XX"
Conflicts over doctor helicopter noise complaints and more

Professor Lee Guk-jong, Director of the Trauma Center in the Gyeonggi Southern Region at Ajou University Hospital Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Amid the controversy sparked by the release of a recording in which Yoo Hee-seok, director of Ajou University Medical Center, verbally abuses Professor Lee Guk-jong, head of the Regional Trauma Center, claims have emerged that the recording was made by Professor Lee himself 4 to 5 years ago.

On the 14th, a representative from Ajou University Hospital stated in an interview with News1, "After an internal investigation regarding the recording released the previous day (the 13th), it was confirmed that the file was recorded by Professor Lee 4 to 5 years ago."

They added, "However, there is no way to verify what topic the two were discussing at the time or the purpose of the meeting."

The hospital also stated, "Since the recording dates back 4 to 5 years, it seems unlikely to be related to the training that Professor Lee has been participating in since the 15th of last month."

On the 13th, MBC Newsdesk released the recording containing Yoo’s verbal abuse directed at Professor Lee.

In the recording, Yoo verbally abuses Lee with phrases such as "Quit it. You XX. Get lost. You XX who’s not even human." In response, Professor Lee replies, "No, it’s not like that."

According to MBC, the conflict between Director Yoo and Professor Lee arose with the commencement of the Doctor Helicopter operations. Just before the Doctor Helicopter inauguration ceremony, Ajou University Hospital and Gyeonggi Province clashed over the event’s management.

MBC reported that since Ajou University Medical Center was excluded from organizing the event, Director Yoo expressed displeasure, saying, "We will only provide support for the event and should not attend, including myself. It’s not our event." He added, "If 150 people go up and someone falls and dies, who takes responsibility? Gyeonggi Province, right? Because it’s not our event."

On the afternoon of September 6 last year, at the Gyeonggi Southern Region Trauma Center of Ajou University Hospital in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Center Director Lee Guk-jong is wearing a headset and talking with officials at the "Seventh Doctor Helicopter Launch Ceremony." Photo by Yonhap News

Director Yoo was not the only one dissatisfied with the Doctor Helicopter operations. Hospital executives reportedly raised concerns about noise complaints from local residents and blocked the reinforcement of trauma center staff.

Professor Lee is also known to be in conflict with the hospital over issues such as staffing and bed shortages, in addition to the Doctor Helicopter project.

In an interview with MBC, he lamented, "Even though the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Gyeonggi Province conducted a national audit, there has been no response. I never asked for a new helicopter; any helicopter flying around would suffice, but this is too much."

Professor Lee was recently unable to properly assign patients to beds. He expressed frustration, saying, "Last year, we couldn’t operate the trauma center for a month. Even though there are beds lined up over there (in the main building), they wouldn’t give them to us."

He also revealed that he considered leaving Korea, saying, "The hospital said it’s quiet as long as I stay silent. I feel like I was wrong. Korea is not supposed to be like this."

Since the 15th of last month, Professor Lee has been participating in a naval training exercise crossing the Pacific Ocean with cadets from the Naval Academy. He is scheduled to return through Jinhae Naval Port in Gyeongnam on the 15th.