Just two days after warnings were issued that neonatal intensive care units in Korea were reaching their limits due to staff shortages, a newborn baby in North Jeolla Province has died after failing to find a hospital that could accept her.

The baby girl was born at an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Jeonju around 8:10 p.m. on July 4.

The infant did not cry immediately after birth.

After midnight, the clinic began searching for a higher-level hospital to transfer the baby, whose condition had deteriorated.

The clinic sought nearby hospitals equipped with neonatal intensive care units and staffed by neonatologists.

However, both Jesus Hospital, located 10 minutes away by car, and Jeonbuk National University Hospital, 20 minutes away, were unable to accept the baby at the time.

The baby was eventually transferred to Wonkwang University Hospital, located 30 minutes away. Upon arrival, the infant was unable to breathe on her own and underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but she ultimately passed away around 3:30 a.m.

The obstetrics clinic explained to reporters that they had contacted Jeonbuk National University Hospital and Jesus Hospital in that order, but because immediate transfer was difficult, the process was delayed by about an hour.

The parents claim that although there were signs of respiratory distress immediately after birth, the clinic failed to recognize the severity of the condition and missed the golden hour for treatment due to a delayed transfer, leading to the baby's death.

(Photo: Provided by Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)