7 Ajou Univ. Pediatric Emergency Professors Express Intent to Resign After Police Raid; Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong Says Will 'Consult with Police'

Professors at the Pediatric Emergency Medical Center of Ajou University Hospital, who were recently subjected to a police raid following the death of a young patient, have reportedly expressed their intent to resign.

People Power Party lawmaker Han Ji-ah shared the news during the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee's comprehensive audit late last night (the 27th), stating, "I just communicated with the head of the Ajou University center for the first time."

Lawmaker Han explained, "After watching today's parliamentary audit, seven pediatric emergency center professors at Ajou University Hospital decided to resign. I pleaded with them not to quit, but they said their hands were shaking so much that they could no longer provide treatment within the jurisdiction of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency."

Earlier that day during the audit, Hahm Young-wook, head of the Metropolitan Investigation Unit at the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, the regional authority in charge, appeared as a witness.

Although both ruling and opposition lawmakers demanded an apology regarding the search and seizure, Hahm repeatedly expressed that he found the situation "regrettable."

Hahm hesitated several times during his remarks, but avoided uttering the word "apology" until the very end.

Instead, he stated, "I express deep respect for the hard work of medical staff who dedicate 24 hours a day to protecting the lives of citizens," adding, "As the person in charge of the investigation, I consider it regrettable that the pediatric emergency room medical staff experienced disruptions in treatment during the search and seizure."

At the same time, he explained, "The investigation team dedicated to medical accidents consulted with hospital officials in advance, waited, and executed the search and seizure to the minimum necessary extent in an empty treatment room with hospital officials participating."


In response, Lawmaker Han argued that the claim of no disruption to treatment was untrue, stating, "When I asked if they could obtain the CCTV footage, the hospital also seemed burdened by it," and adding, "They feel pressured about causing friction with the regional police agency."

Han reported, "Yesterday, the Nambu Provincial Police Agency contacted the hospital and asked them to submit the list of all medical staff on duty on July 15, when the child passed away," adding, "The medical staff say that alone makes it difficult for them to provide treatment."

She further urged Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong to take action, saying, "If Chief Hahm had just apologized, this would not have happened. We cannot let Ajou University Hospital's pediatric emergency medical center, the largest hospital in Suwon, shut down."

In response, Minister Jeong replied, "I will further consult with the National Police Agency."

Health and Welfare Committee Chairman Lee Man-hee stated, "We will accurately ascertain the details and, in consultation with the floor secretaries of both parties, explain an action plan at the committee level on how to proceed."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.