KMA: "Disaster Medical Support Team Dispatched to Itaewon Tragedy Scene Should Be Carefully Investigated by Police"

A plastic cover protecting against rain is placed over the memorial space set up at the Itaewon disaster site in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 29th, about a month after the 'Itaewon tragedy' occurred. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The medical community has voiced opposition after it was revealed that some Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) from hospitals dispatched to the Itaewon disaster site were subjected to witness investigations by the police.

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) stated on the 1st, "We express concern over conducting several hours of witness investigations on medical personnel who are tirelessly racing against time day and night to save emergency patients' lives in the urgent and critical field of emergency medical care, rather than appreciating their hard work."

According to the KMA and others, the Special Investigation Headquarters recently conducted witness investigations on two teams of medical staff from university hospitals who were active at the disaster site. The police reportedly checked whether the DMAT operated according to the manual.

DMAT is a pre-organized medical team dispatched immediately to disaster or accident sites for medical support as part of public-private cooperation. It usually consists of 3 to 4 members, including doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians, and administrative staff. There are regional DMATs at 41 disaster base hospitals nationwide and a central DMAT at the national level, responsible for tasks such as triage of emergency patients, emergency treatment, and selecting the optimal hospital for transport.

The KMA emphasized, "Witness investigations of medical personnel must be conducted with utmost caution, and now is the time to unite efforts to improve Korea's disaster emergency medical system to protect the safe daily lives of our citizens. In particular, not only must a more systematic disaster response system be established to eliminate blind spots in disaster response, but administrative and financial support should also be generously provided so that DMAT teams, who work with a sense of mission in harsh environments, can operate more smoothly."

Furthermore, the KMA urged the establishment of legal protections and a national compensation system for medical personnel active in emergency situations through amendments to relevant laws. The KMA stated, "As a professional organization responsible for the lives and health of the people, we deeply mourn the Itaewon disaster and are making every effort to provide various medical supports, including operating a medical liaison center for the injured and bereaved families. We will continue to fulfill our duties at the forefront of overcoming various disasters. We expect reasonable and sensible measures from the government for medical personnel who are making strenuous efforts for the lives and health of the people."