Investigation of Witnesses Related to Allegations of Coercion in Collective Resignation of Residents
Representatives of resident doctors from the 'Big 5' hospitals appeared before the police as witnesses regarding allegations that current and former executives of the Korean Medical Association (KMA) incited the collective resignation of resident doctors. They stated that "the collective resignation of resident doctors is an individual choice."
On the 9th, the Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency summoned Kim Eun-sik, representative of resident doctors at Severance Hospital, and Han Sung-jon, representative of resident doctors at Seoul Asan Hospital, to the Gwangyeok Investigation Unit building in Mapo-gu, Seoul, for questioning as witnesses.
Before appearing, Representative Kim responded to a question about whether he viewed the collective resignation as an individual choice by saying, "I think it is an individual choice." He also said, "I am currently looking for a job, but I am afraid that being investigated by the police and having my personal information exposed in the media will disadvantage me in hiring. The government has violated the basic rights of the people through ultra-constitutional administrative orders and, on top of that, is carrying out legal intimidation. I will not yield to the government's unjust oppression."
Representative Han also described the collective resignation of resident doctors as an "individual choice," adding, "I am just a young Korean who worked day and night at the hospital in the past. I believe that unilateral reforms that trample on future generations are bound to fail."
Today's questioning of the two was aimed at proving allegations that current and former KMA executives incited the collective resignation of resident doctors.
Earlier, the police summoned Park Dan, emergency committee chairman of the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), and Park Jae-il, representative of resident doctors at Seoul National University, as witnesses on the 21st of last month and the 5th of this month, respectively, for questioning.
According to KIRA, following them, Kim Yu-young, representative of resident doctors at Samsung Seoul Hospital, is scheduled to be questioned by the police at 10 a.m. on the 11th, and Kim Tae-geun, representative of resident doctors at Catholic Central Medical Center, at 10 a.m. on the 13th.
The police have filed charges against six current and former KMA executives, including Lim Hyun-taek, president of the KMA, Kim Taek-woo, chairman of the former KMA emergency committee, and Joo Soo-ho, publicity chairman, for violations of the Medical Service Act, obstruction of business under the Criminal Act, incitement, and aiding and abetting, and have been investigating since February. The current and former KMA executives deny the allegations, claiming that the collective resignation of resident doctors was a voluntary action.
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