[Breaking] Nursing Hospital Accused of Siphoning Benefits from Salt Farm Victims Suspected of Illegal Medical Practices in Cancer Ward

13 Out of 27 Inpatients Engaged in "Fake Hospitalizations"
Specialized Pharmaceuticals Illegally Stored and Administered in Patient Rooms
Two Nurses, Including Pastor Park's Daughter-in-Law, Identified as Ghost Employees
Skincare Massages Disguised as Covered Medical Services

Exterior view of A Nursing Hospital in Samgak-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Min Chanki

Controversy has arisen over allegations that A Nursing Hospital, located in Samgak-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, which has already been accused of exploiting laborers from Sinan salt farms and siphoning off residents' livelihood benefits and wages, is now colluding with cancer patients to commit illegal medical acts in order to fraudulently claim insurance payouts.

There is growing demand for a comprehensive investigation by regulatory authorities, as various illegal activities have been uncovered, including the falsification of documents to facilitate "fake hospitalizations" for the purpose of collecting daily hospitalization allowances, false registration of medical staff, and patients personally managing and administering specialized pharmaceuticals.

According to a report by The Asia Business Daily on December 24, a total of 37 cancer patients are being treated at A Nursing Hospital in Samgak-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. Of these, 10 are outpatients and 27 are inpatients.

However, it has been confirmed that 13 out of the 27 inpatients are engaged in "fake hospitalizations." Some of these patients enter the hospital in the morning and return home in the evening. In one case, a patient is admitted on Friday, registered as an inpatient for the two days over the weekend, and then discharged on Monday, repeating this cycle.

Application form for outing of cancer ward patients at A Nursing Hospital. The form contains only the name signature, with the date and reason left blank. Provided by reader.

For cancer patients, most insurance companies provide daily hospitalization allowances, raising suspicions that the patients, in collusion with the hospital, are fabricating their hospitalization status through falsified documents to receive these payments. In fact, evidence of document manipulation has been found at the hospital, such as pre-signing patients' names on outing and leave application forms.

Specialized medicines found in the refrigerator of a cancer patient's hospital room at A Nursing Hospital. Provided by reader.

It has also been found that patients at this nursing hospital are storing specialized pharmaceuticals, including oral anticancer drugs, vitamins, and antioxidant injections-which legally cannot be kept by individuals-in their personal room refrigerators. These medications require strict dosage control and record-keeping due to potential side effects, and by law, must be managed by the hospital.

Furthermore, the hospital's work schedules indicate that there are four nurses and five nursing assistants employed, but it has been revealed that some of these staff members are "ghost employees" who are registered without actually working.

In the nursing records of nurse Park, unlike those of other nurses, only repetitive entries such as ▲ward rounds ▲encouraging adequate rest, hydration, and nutrition ▲maintaining body temperature and drinking lukewarm water to prevent colds ▲ventilating the ward ▲walking inside the hospital ▲checking safety to prevent falls, are recorded. In contrast, other nurses' records detail specific medical care provided to patients with health issues. Park is the daughter-in-law of Pastor Park, the owner of the nursing hospital building, and has been listed on the evening shift schedule in the same ward for over three years.

The work records of nurse Park, registered as a staff member in Ward A of the cancer hospital, show the same entries repeated multiple times. Photo provided by reader

An official from the hospital stated, "I understand that patients pre-fill their names and signatures on outing and medical appointment application forms for their own convenience," adding, "Patients do not always submit outing or leave application forms every time they go out."

The official continued, "Most of the drugs stored in personal refrigerators are in rooms with female patients, but I have no idea where they come from. I understand that nursing staff administer injections when patients request them. Although nurse Park is registered as a staff member in the cancer ward, no one has actually seen her working. I also heard that another nurse returned from parental leave, but I have never seen her either, even though her name continues to appear on the schedule, which is suspicious."

There are also allegations that non-covered medical services are being disguised as covered items to maximize insurance payouts. The cancer ward at A Nursing Hospital operates a skincare room, and it has been confirmed that each patient has a managed schedule. The hospital charges 150,000 won per lymphatic massage session in the skincare room, but the detailed billing statements are reportedly issued as covered items, such as pain treatment.

Another hospital official said, "Manager Kim of the cancer ward recruits patients and creates monthly schedules for massages, injections, anticancer treatments, and pain management. I understand that since Kim joined, separate charges have been applied."

In response, a representative from the nursing hospital stated, "The allegations raised are not true and no illegal acts have been committed."

Meanwhile, A Nursing Hospital is under police investigation after evidence emerged that it had misappropriated livelihood benefits of Sinan labor exploitation victims and residents for several years. Pastor Park, the owner of the hospital building, was indicted by prosecutors on charges of quasi-fraud and embezzlement for siphoning off 90 million won from a patient's account as a security deposit and embezzling approximately 20 million won over six separate occasions.