Senior Official from Ministry of Culture Transferred from Regional Hospital to Seoul
Political Circles: "Second Lee Jae-myung... Immediate Dismissal of the Person Concerned Required"
A high-ranking official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism received treatment at a regional general hospital and underwent surgery at one of Seoul's Big 5 hospitals on the same day, sparking controversy. This incident occurred amid escalating conflicts between the government and the medical community over increasing medical school admissions to revitalize regional healthcare. In political circles, criticism has arisen, referring to the case as a 'second Lee Jae-myung,' citing the example of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who was urgently airlifted to Seoul by helicopter.
On the 30th of last month, when professors working at Seoul National University Hospital and Severance Hospital, two of the major 'Big 5' hospitals in Seoul, stopped outpatient treatment and surgeries, a patient was being moved at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
Mr. A, a Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official working in Sejong City, was treated for symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage at Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital near his workplace on the 21st of last month, then transferred to Seoul Asan Medical Center for emergency surgery. Although Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital recommended surgery there since the symptoms were urgent but not severe, Mr. A chose to go to Seoul.
A representative from Seoul Asan Medical Center told the medical professional media outlet 'Cheongnyeon Uisa' (Young Doctor), "We received a call from the relevant specialists and medical staff to proceed with surgery as quickly as possible since the patient was being transferred from Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital. I understand that a high-ranking hospital official coordinated this directly." There was also evidence that the patient’s status as a 'high-ranking Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official' was emphasized during the communication.
Visitors are waiting in front of the outpatient clinic at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where professors working at Seoul National University Hospital and Severance Hospital, two of the city's major large hospitals known as the 'Big 5,' have stopped outpatient treatment and surgeries. [Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@]
Currently, Seoul Asan Medical Center is suffering losses exceeding 1 billion KRW per day due to the halving of inpatient and surgical patients caused by the strike of residents (interns and residents). In a situation where it is difficult to accept both existing waiting patients and new patients, a patient who was neither severe nor urgent underwent surgery on the same day.
A related post was also uploaded on 'Blind,' an anonymous workplace community that requires job verification for use. It stated that the Ministry of Health and Welfare intervened in the transfer process of Mr. A, pressuring the university hospital to enable a quick transfer and treatment, but the post has since been deleted.
The issue is also being discussed in political circles. Heo Eun-ah, a candidate for the leadership of the Reform New Party, criticized on Facebook that day, saying, "This is a second Lee Jae-myung case; the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official must be immediately dismissed," adding, "They are unfit for public office. There should also be an investigation and punishment for the high-ranking hospital official."
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 29th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
Referring to the incident earlier this year when Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, was attacked in Busan, received emergency treatment at a local hospital, and was then airlifted by helicopter to Seoul National University Hospital for surgery, she said, "From the opposition party leader down, there is distrust of regional base hospitals, leading to the use of emergency helicopters to receive surgery in Seoul, making such incidents seem inevitable." She added, "While the public suffers greatly from the medical crisis, the 'high-ranking people' use their power to insist on receiving even simple surgeries that take about 30 minutes under local anesthesia in Seoul."
Former Korean Medical Association president Roh Hwan-gyu, who has consistently opposed the government's policy to increase medical school admissions, commented on the incident, saying, "This is why doctors do not trust the government's policy to revitalize regional healthcare," sarcastically adding, "That official might say, 'I didn’t call the helicopter... so who did?'"
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