Claiming to Be a Doctor... Patient's Ribs Fractured While "Balancing Internal Organs"

▲ File photo of a hospital room (The photo above is not related to the article.)

A man in his 50s who posed as a doctor returned from studying in the United States, performed unlicensed medical procedures, and fractured a patient's ribs has been sentenced to a suspended prison term and a fine.

The Busan District Court announced today (October 1) that Judge Park Byung-joo of Criminal Division 12 sentenced the man in his 50s, identified as Defendant, who was indicted on charges of fraud, violation of the Special Measures Act on the Control of Public Health Crimes (unlicensed medical practice), and professional negligence resulting in injury, to 1 year and 6 months in prison suspended for 3 years, along with a fine of 5 million won.

Defendant was put on trial for deceiving a victim who visited him in Busanjin-gu, Busan, in November of last year through an acquaintance's introduction, falsely claiming to be a doctor and pocketing 1.8 million won under the guise of treatment fees.

Defendant lied to the victim, claiming that he was the only person in South Korea possessing a treatment technique called chiropractic care, that he had worked as a doctor in Korea before studying in the United States to learn the treatment from a competent doctor, and that he had acquired a medical degree from a prestigious U.S. university.

However, Defendant was not a doctor, had never studied in the United States, and had never formally learned the treatment method.

Claiming that the victim's internal organs were out of balance and leaning to one side, Defendant performed illegal procedures a total of 7 times from November 13 to December 11 of last year by hitting, pressing, and kneading the victim's abdomen, shoulders, and head with his palms.

During the final procedure, he even fractured 2 of the patient's left ribs, inflicting injuries that required 4 weeks of medical treatment.

Judge Park explained the sentencing rationale, stating that unlicensed medical practice is a serious crime that can pose a significant hazard to public health, and that the defendant's culpability is not light as he not only defrauded treatment fees by impersonating a doctor and conducting unauthorized medical procedures, but also inflicted a fracture requiring 4 weeks of treatment on the victim.

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