[Exclusive] The Dark Side of the Plastic Surgery Powerhouse... Nearly 200 Cases of Side Effects and Aftereffects Dispute Mediation Annually

200 Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Dispute Mediation Applications Annually
Final Settlement Step Before Medical Litigation
Increase in Procedure-Related Disputes... Red Flag for 'K-Medical' Reputation
Assemblyman Ko Young-in: "Personal-Medical Institution Disputes Should Not Be Neglected"

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] As the skin care, beauty, and plastic surgery markets rapidly expand, related medical disputes have also been steadily occurring. Side effects and damage cases from surgeries, procedures, injections, and treatments are increasing accordingly.

According to data submitted to the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee by Go Young-in, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, from the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency, the number of medical dispute applications in dermatology and plastic surgery this year reached 114 cases (up to August). Medical disputes in dermatology and plastic surgery decreased from 225 cases in 2018 to 208 in 2019 and 190 in 2020, but have been rising again to 194 cases in 2021.

Applications for mediation at the Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency serve as a final mediation process that allows patients who have experienced medical disputes to reach an amicable agreement with doctors (or hospitals) before proceeding to litigation.

By type, surgical disputes were the most common, accounting for about 25% of the total with 53 cases from 2018 to 2020 and 54 cases in 2021. Treatment-related disputes followed, with 26 cases in 2018, 24 in 2019, 27 in 2020, and 12 in 2021. Procedure-related disputes were newly recorded from 2021 with 16 cases. In 2022 (as of August), there were 10 cases.

The rate of reaching agreements was not high. In 2018, out of a total of 225 disputes, only 59 cases (26.2%) were settled. The settlement rates were 25.4% in 2019, 24.7% in 2020, and 33.5% in 2021. As of August 2022, 19 out of 114 cases were settled, and 36 cases were still undergoing dispute mediation.

(Source: Office of Go Young-in, Democratic Party of Korea, Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency)

(Source: Office of Go Young-in, Democratic Party of Korea, Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency)

Assemblyman Go Young-in stated, “Korean medical technology is recognized overseas, and especially the field of plastic surgery is evaluated at an outstanding level,” adding, “In this context, the increase in medical dispute mediation applications related to dermatology and plastic surgery is a red flag for the reputation of K-medical.”

He also said, “Medical disputes should not be left simply as conflicts between individuals and medical institutions; the government needs to actively identify causes and prepare countermeasures.”

Go Young-in, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea