Without Testing, False 'Negative' COVID Results Recorded... "Goesan Seongmo Hospital to Face Legal Action Soon"

Exterior view of Goesan Seongmo Hospital. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hana Na] Officials at Goesan Seongmo Hospital, accused of falsifying COVID-19 test results and delaying the reporting of confirmed cases, are scheduled to face judicial action next week.

On the 23rd, the police announced that they have launched a full-scale investigation into Goeasan Seongmo Hospital regarding allegations of falsifying COVID-19 test reports and delaying the reporting of confirmed cases, as reported by Goesan County.

The police recently summoned three doctors and an administrative staff member from Goeasan Seongmo Hospital to investigate the circumstances surrounding the falsification of reports and delayed reporting of confirmed cases.

During the police investigation, the doctors stated that they were not involved in falsifying the reports, while the administrative staff member reportedly admitted to arbitrarily falsifying the reports.

The police plan to summon the hospital’s representative next week for further investigation and will decide on the subjects and severity of judicial action. Previously, on the 21st of last month, Goesan County filed a complaint with the police against Goeasan Seongmo Hospital for forgery of private documents and delaying the reporting of infectious disease occurrences.

On the 11th of last month, while transferring a patient under treatment to a hospital in Gyeonggi Province, the hospital sent a false report stating "negative COVID-19 test result" without conducting a diagnostic test on the patient.

Additionally, on the 15th of last month, while transferring six patients to Eomseong Somang Hospital, the hospital arbitrarily issued reports stating "negative COVID-19 test result" without conducting diagnostic tests.

However, the patients transferred to the hospital in Gyeonggi Province were later confirmed positive through diagnostic tests conducted by Goeasan Seongmo Hospital a few days later. Two patients transferred to Eomseong Somang Hospital were also confirmed positive five hours later.

From that time until the 15th, 53 patients and staff members at Goeasan Seongmo Hospital were confirmed positive. At Eomseong Somang Hospital, 170 confirmed cases occurred, and cohort isolation is currently in place.

A police official stated, "With the cohort isolation at the hospital lifted, we will soon conclude the delayed investigation and hold the hospital officials accountable for falsifying reports and delaying infectious disease reporting through judicial action."