"'Let's Just Hold On This Year'... I Became a Fool," Confesses Lee Guk-jong

Last October, at an event hosted by this publication, expressed difficulties of the Trauma Center
"Korean society lacks the transparency to operate trauma centers"
The Ministry of Health and Welfare, which provided budget support, seems determined due to its passive attitude

Lee Guk-jong, Director of the Regional Trauma Center at Ajou University Hospital, is delivering the keynote speech at the "2019 Asia Women Leaders Forum" hosted by Asia Economy at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 30th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

"As the center director, I should have stopped illegal activities or embezzlement of the budget on the front lines, but I failed to do so. I should have risked everything to stop it. Now, I only think about how to end this (Regional Trauma Center) no matter what. It should have ended earlier so that the trauma center staff wouldn't have suffered."

At an event hosted by this publication on October 30 last year, Professor Lee Guk-jong of Ajou University Hospital, who gave a lecture, did not hide his frustration. About two weeks earlier, during the Gyeonggi Province National Assembly audit, he had exposed that "the government-provided budget for increasing nursing staff was not being properly used by the hospital," and was under pressure from the hospital at that time.

The trauma surgeon with over 20 years of experience, who widely publicized the necessity of trauma centers by saving Seok Hae-gyun and Oh Cheong-seong, seemed to have more regrets than satisfaction from his work so far. After the controversy erupted following the broadcast report of Ajou University Medical Center Director Yoo Hee-seok’s verbal abuse, he clearly stated his intention to quit the trauma center, but Professor Lee’s firm decision had been made long before that.

He said, "They are exploiting and squeezing trauma center staff to maintain an absurd system," adding, "With the level of transparency and infrastructure in Korean society, it is impossible to operate trauma centers and meet global standards."

Professor Lee’s heart was heavy as he looked at nurses who suffered miscarriages due to excessive work during pregnancy or broke fingers without compensation, and junior doctors who go home fewer than five days a year. He said he had led the center with the simple belief of 'treating the sick,' but seeing the center staff suffer inside made him feel self-loathing many times. Professor Lee said, "I have been leading with the mindset of 'just have to endure this year,' but I feel like I am becoming more foolish as time goes by," and added, "I think Korean society has reached its limit."