Date of Birth Example Set to '20140416'… CEO of Developer Explains How It Happened

This is a screen from a patient application used at a university hospital.

Yesterday, the example field for entering a patient's date of birth in this app displayed the phrase, "Enter as 20140416 for April 16, 2014."

April 16, 2014, is the day the Sewol ferry, which was traveling from Incheon to Jeju, sank off the coast of Jindo, South Jeolla Province, resulting in the deaths of 304 passengers.

As it became known belatedly that the date of the Sewol ferry disaster was used in the example field, criticism poured out online. As the controversy grew, Lemon Healthcare, the company that developed the app, issued an apology.

Hong Byung-jin, CEO of Lemon Healthcare, bowed his head in apology on the company's website last night, stating, "We have caused deep pain to the bereaved families who lost loved ones in the Sewol ferry disaster and to the citizens who have endured that pain together." He added, "I know that no words can suffice to ask for forgiveness. I sincerely apologize."

He also explained how it happened, stating that the phrase was first written during the initial development of the app and had been copied and reused without verification through subsequent screen updates.

He added that direct personnel action is not possible as the staff members who originally wrote the phrase and were involved in the inspection have since left the company.

CEO Hong emphasized that they have also caused great trouble to the 140 major general hospitals nationwide that use the app, and that he would personally oversee the establishment and implementation of measures to prevent a recurrence.

He stated, "If given the opportunity to apologize to the bereaved families of the Sewol ferry and the public, I will seek forgiveness in any way possible," adding, "We will take this as the most serious warning since our founding and be reborn as a company that considers people's hearts before technology."

Lemon Healthcare is a digital medical platform company that develops and manages the app. It develops and manages apps for 38 of the 47 tertiary general hospitals in South Korea, including Korea University Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, and Severance Hospital.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.