"No message other than 'Please do the surgery well' explanation
Kim Hangyu, Democratic Party lawmaker, "Is this a country?""
In Yohan, a Supreme Council Member of the People Power Party, is embroiled in allegations of surgery favoritism, drawing fierce criticism from opposition lawmakers.
In, who serves as the chairman of the People Power Party's Special Committee on Medical Reform, was caught on camera by reporters on the morning of the 5th at the National Assembly plenary session replying "Thank you, thank you" to a text message that read, "The patient I asked for is currently undergoing surgery. If it had been a little later, they might have died. It's so risky that I'm worried if they will survive."
Kim Yong-min, the senior deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party, wrote on social media (SNS), "The more unfair society becomes, the more people solve problems not through public systems but through acquaintances," adding, "This is a stark example of how much this government is destroying South Korea."
Kim Han-gyu, a Democratic Party lawmaker, also joined the criticism. He said, "The ruling party's supreme council member had every means. The government and ruling party, who say 'If we endure, we win,' seem to be trying to hold on this way," raising his voice, "What about our people? Is this even a country?" Kim recently lost his father and had shared a story about how his father almost missed emergency surgery due to gaps in emergency medical care.
No Jong-myeon, the Democratic Party's floor spokesperson, pointed out at a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul, "Despite cases of harm caused by emergency room shuffling, the government and ruling party have consistently blamed others and remained indifferent." He continued, "The 'In Yohan text' reconfirms that the medical reform touted by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration and the ruling party is actually a 'medical deterioration.' How can they possibly convince the angry public?"
He added, "President Yoon Seok-yeol deceived the public by saying 'the emergency medical system is operating smoothly' even though the medical collapse causing deaths is ongoing and worsening," criticizing, "Floor leader Choo Kyung-ho, in today's negotiation group speech, ironically strengthened this by saying, 'The government's medical reform will definitely be achieved.'"
Meanwhile, In explained to reporters during a meeting that day, "The surgeon was already decided, and since I know that surgeon, I just said 'Please take good care of the surgery,' and nothing else." He emphasized, "A pastor whose name I don't even know had my phone number and asked if the doctor was trustworthy and if he could ask for a favor regarding the surgery, so I said, 'He is a very good doctor,' and 'I will make a call.'" He added, "I receive calls like 'Is the professor trustworthy?' 'Are you acquainted?' 'Please make a call' about ten times a week," explaining, "I tell them, 'Please call the (hospital) reservation center,' and 'I am currently a member of the National Assembly. I cannot help you,' and then guide them to our reservation center."
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