Fake News Dispute Over Emergency Room Roundabout... Han Deok-su Asks, "Where Are People Dying?"

"This is fake news. Where are people dying?" (Han Deok-su, Prime Minister)

A fake news controversy erupted in the National Assembly over the medical crisis. The opposition party pointed out that deaths are occurring due to emergency room refusals, known as 'emergency room roundabouts.' In response, Prime Minister Han protested, saying not to exaggerate. Lawmakers in the plenary session also shouted at Prime Minister Han, turning the National Assembly into a scene of loud disputes.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is responding to a question from Democratic Party lawmaker Baek Hye-ryun during the government-wide questioning session on education, social, and cultural issues held at the National Assembly plenary session hall on the afternoon of the 12th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The trigger was a question from Nam In-soon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea. On the 12th, during the government questioning session on education, social, and cultural affairs held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Nam asked Prime Minister Han, "Is the increase of 2,000 medical school students a figure aimed at the 22nd general election?" Prime Minister Han raised his voice, saying, "Not at all."

When Nam asked for scientific evidence supporting the figure of 2,000, Prime Minister Han replied that it was estimated through experts' research. During this process, questions and answers between Nam and Han began to overlap. Han repeatedly said, "Please give me time to answer." Furthermore, Han raised his voice at lawmakers protesting his answers while sitting in the plenary session, saying, "Why are you preventing me from answering from my seat? Lawmakers in their seats, please stay still." Unable to tolerate the situation, Joo Ho-young, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, intervened and cautioned not to cut off the questions, promising to give more time for answers.

However, loud voices were exchanged immediately. When Nam questioned, "Deaths are occurring continuously due to emergency room roundabouts," Han rebutted, "The expression 'continuously' is an exaggeration." When Nam tried to ask an additional question, Han interrupted, asking for cooperation, and lawmakers sitting in their seats shouted, "Please listen to the question until the end!"

The dispute continued. When someone in the seats said, "People are dying," Han responded, "This is fake news, fake news." He also shouted, "People dying? That insults doctors and nurses." Lawmakers in the seats retorted, "What do you mean fake news?" "People died today too! That's a lie!"

Prime Minister Han said, "I am telling the people the facts."

Meanwhile, according to data received by Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yoon's office from the National Medical Center, from February to July this year, when residents opposed to the medical school increase resigned, the number of deaths per 1,000 severe patients at regional emergency medical centers was 78.6. This is an increase of 1.6 compared to the same period last year (77.0).