On the 16th, the Faculty Council of Ajou University School of Medicine called for an apology and resignation from Medical Director Hee-Seok Yoo. Photo by Ajou University School of Medicine Faculty Council Statement
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] The Faculty Association of Ajou University School of Medicine demanded an apology and resignation from Yoo Hee-seok, Director of Ajou University Medical Center, who verbally abused Lee Guk-jong, head of the Regional Trauma Center at Ajou University Hospital, on the 16th.
In a statement released that morning, the Faculty Association asserted, "Yoo Hee-seok, who has tarnished the honor of Ajou University Hospital by verbally abusing a junior professor, must apologize to Professor Lee Guk-jong and all faculty members and immediately step down as Director of the Medical Center."
The Faculty Association also demanded that Ajou University and the Medical Center "establish a system to prevent workplace harassment targeting professors and devise measures to eradicate the Medical Center’s culture of suppressing dissenting opinions by abusing superior positions and forcibly repressing opposing views."
The Faculty Association stated, "Verbal violence is an act that no one should commit regardless of the motive or underlying conflicts of the incident," adding, "We feel deep concern and self-reproach that the highest executive of the Medical Center, who should take the lead in preventing workplace harassment and punishing and disciplining perpetrators to stop chronic problems such as physical and verbal violence and hazing within the hospital, is in fact the perpetrator."
They continued, "No one can deny that the rising reputation of Ajou University Hospital?selected as one of the world’s top 100 hospitals by Newsweek last year and ranked joint 4th in the national customer satisfaction industry this month?is largely due to the efforts of all staff and especially Professor Lee Guk-jong, who serves as head of the Trauma Center and has treated heroes such as Captain Seok Hae-gyun of the Aden Bay and defector soldier Oh Cheong-seong."
They added, "The actions of Yoo Hee-seok, which have completely damaged the reputation of our Medical Center, are unacceptable even from the Medical Center’s standpoint."
The Director’s term ends at the end of February.
According to MBC’s 'News Desk' on the 13th, a recording revealing Yoo Hee-seok verbally abusing Professor Lee Guk-jong was made public.
In the recording, Yoo said to Professor Lee, "Quit it, you XX. Get lost. You XX who aren’t even human. Do you want to fight me?" To which Professor Lee replied, "No, that’s not the case."
Statement from Ajou University School of Medicine Faculty Association
Yoo Hee-seok, Director of the Medical Center, must apologize to Professor Lee Guk-jong and all faculty members and resign
We are shocked to learn through recent media reports that Yoo Hee-seok, Director of the Medical Center, verbally abused Professor Lee Guk-jong with unspeakable insults. It is even more embarrassing that this incident was revealed through a recording disclosed by the media.
Verbal violence is an act that no one should commit regardless of the motive or underlying conflicts and is a typical example of workplace harassment.
Workplace harassment is unethical behavior that uses superior positions in the workplace to inflict pain beyond reasonable limits and is strictly prohibited by law.
In particular, the Workplace Harassment Prevention Act was originally enacted due to chronic problems in hospitals such as physical and verbal violence and hazing.
Therefore, we feel deep concern and self-reproach that the highest executive of our Medical Center, who has the ethical and legal duty to take the lead in preventing such harassment and punishing and disciplining perpetrators, is the perpetrator.
Furthermore, as fellow professors, it saddens us even more that any professor could be subjected to such treatment.
Ajou University Hospital has faithfully served as a medical hub in southern Gyeonggi Province for the past 25 years. Last year, it was selected as one of the world’s top 100 hospitals by Newsweek and this month ranked joint 4th in the national customer satisfaction industry.
No one can deny that the rising reputation of Ajou University Hospital is due to the efforts of all staff and especially Professor Lee Guk-jong, head of the Trauma Center, who treated heroes such as Captain Seok Hae-gyun of the Aden Bay and defector soldier Oh Cheong-seong.
The actions of Yoo Hee-seok, which have completely damaged the reputation of our Medical Center, are unacceptable even from the Medical Center’s standpoint.
The Faculty Association of Ajou University School of Medicine demands the following regarding this incident:
- Yoo Hee-seok, who verbally abused a junior professor and tarnished the honor of Ajou University Hospital, must apologize to Professor Lee Guk-jong and all faculty members and immediately resign as Director of the Medical Center.
- We reject any attempt to mislead this incident as a personal conflict or interdepartmental dispute within the Medical Center’s management to evade the core issue of workplace harassment.
- The university and Medical Center must establish a system to prevent workplace harassment targeting professors and devise measures to eradicate the Medical Center’s culture of suppressing dissenting opinions by abusing superior positions and forcibly repressing opposing views.
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