Doctor in Charge at Jaeung Yang's Hospital Arrested Over Patient Death Amid Concerns of Evidence Destruction

A Total of 11 People, Including Yang, Booked by Police

A doctor in charge of a patient who died while being restrained at a hospital operated by psychiatrist and broadcaster Jaeung Yang (43) has been arrested in connection with the incident.

Psychiatrist and broadcaster Jaeung Yang appeared as a witness at the comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Health and Welfare held by the Health and Welfare Committee at the National Assembly on October 23 last year. After answering questions, he is returning to the witness stand. Photo by Yonhap News

The Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Unit announced on October 20 that it had arrested Doctor A on charges including professional negligence resulting in death. Doctor A is accused of failing to take appropriate safety measures at a hospital in Bucheon on May 27 last year, resulting in the death of a female inpatient in her 30s, identified as B.

Yang Woochang, the chief judge in charge of warrants at the Bucheon branch of the Incheon District Court, conducted a pre-arrest interrogation (warrant review) for Doctor A on the same day and issued an arrest warrant, citing concerns about the destruction of evidence.

Previously, the police had requested pre-arrest warrants for Doctor A and two other medical staff members, but the prosecution rejected the request, stating that the necessity for arrest was insufficient. In response, the police submitted a warrant review request to the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, which is a higher authority.

Subsequently, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Warrant Review Committee decided that it was appropriate to request an arrest warrant for Doctor A, but determined that it was inappropriate to do so for the other two individuals.

At the Bucheon hospital operated by Jaeung Yang, a female patient in her 30s, identified as B, who had been admitted for treatment of diet pill addiction, died 17 days after her hospitalization on May 27 last year. The bereaved family filed a complaint against Yang and other hospital staff, claiming that B was subjected to unjustified isolation and restraint during her stay and died because she did not receive appropriate medical care during this process.

In connection with this case, a total of 11 individuals, including Yang as the hospital director and nursing staff, have been booked as suspects by the police. The police conducted a search and seizure of the hospital in April of this year and have continued their investigation, including obtaining an expert opinion from the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency regarding the conflicting claims.

Meanwhile, Jaeung Yang has expressed deep responsibility as the hospital director regarding the patient's death but maintains that he cannot admit to negligence. He stated, "The fundamental issue in the fatal incident is not isolation or restraint, but the risk of phentermine (dietamine) addiction. Other types of addiction are also suspected."

Jaeung Yang also appeared as a witness at the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee's audit in October last year, where he repeatedly answered "I do not admit" to lawmakers' questions about whether the hospital acknowledged negligence. However, he did apologize to the bereaved family, saying, "You entrusted your loved one to our hospital, but we failed to ensure her safe recovery. I sincerely apologize once again."