"Receiving Double Swear Words... Am I a Mental Patient?" Lee Guk-jong's Resolute Statement... Hospital Conflict Explodes

Lee Guk-jong, Angry at Ajou University Hospital Saying "How Can You Tell Such Lies?"
"Even While Being Cursed, I Tried to Resolve It Amicably with Regret"
"What Happens If You Act Like That Regardless of Whether the Patient Dies?"

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 Han Seung-gon] Amid controversy over a leaked recording in which the director of Ajou University Medical Center verbally abused Professor Lee Guk-jong, head of the Ajou University Hospital Gyeonggi Southern Regional Trauma Center, Professor Lee issued a statement on the 15th.

On that day, Professor Lee made candid remarks in interviews with media outlets such as JoongAng Ilbo, MBC, and SBS. In a phone call with one outlet, he expressed his complex feelings, saying, "I wish I could just hide somewhere and be taken out to sea... It was better when I was at sea... Facing a 10-meter wave would be better."

Through another media outlet, he raised suspicions about the hospital's exclusion from bed allocation, stating, "No matter how lacking in morality, how can they lie like that? Am I a mental patient? When did the repairs start? The ward repairs began around the end of October last year. We never gave them the rooms in such a condition."

He continued, "They even disguised admissions under the names of other medical staff at the main hospital, and we took care of those patients. They went as far as doing that," repeatedly raising suspicions about bed allocation through disguises.

He then vented his frustration, saying, "Doctors at the trauma center are prevented from doing their work. Whether patients live or die. What kind of outcome do you expect from that?"

Professor Lee Guk-jong, Director of the Gyeonggi Southern Regional Trauma Center at Ajou University Hospital
[Image source=Yonhap News]

In another media interview, Professor Lee said, "If you are using government funds, then do it well, or don't do it at all. It's not like we're asking for free. They even built the building," and exposed, "People like the hospital director and medical center director accept government subsidies but do not operate according to principles and instead demand a lax operation."

He added, "Even though there are about 150 rooms left in the main building, they encourage not to give them to the trauma center. We're not asking for a raise, just rooms to treat patients, but working under leadership that lies like a venomous snake with eyes wide open like a flounder makes me sick."

He also said, "I regret trying to resolve things nicely despite being cursed, bowing and saying 'Please look favorably,' 'It's a misunderstanding'."

Amid growing controversy over the alleged intentional exclusion from bed allocation, the hospital stated, "We plan to review the situation before deciding whether to issue a statement," and added, "The recording released through the media is a file Professor Lee recorded 4 to 5 years ago."

According to MBC on the 13th, the conflict between Director Yoo and Professor Lee arose over the operation of the regional trauma center.

According to reports, when Ajou University Medical Center was excluded from organizing the doctor helicopter inauguration ceremony, Director Yoo expressed displeasure, saying, "We only provided event support, so including myself, we shouldn't attend. It's not our event."

Another conflict arose over noise from the doctor helicopter. MBC reported that as the helicopter operation became full-scale, conflicts with hospital executives deepened.

Ajou University Hospital Director Han Sang-wook said about helicopter noise complaints, "Complaints are flooding in now. I am also being contacted directly. Nowadays, when complaints come in, we must respond. So we are considering how to prepare our responses."

There are also reported conflicts over staffing. Although government funding was secured with difficulty to increase trauma center personnel such as dedicated helicopter nurses, MBC reported that the hospital reduced the number of additional staff from 67 to 36.

The previously released recording contained Director Yoo Hee-seok of Ajou University Medical Center verbally abusing Professor Lee, saying, "Quit it. You XX. Get lost, you inhuman XX. Do you want to fight me?" to which Professor Lee responded, "No, that's not true."