Police command expresses regret at visit to Ajou University Hospital over search and seizure controversy

(Suwon = Yonhap News) Reporter Kwon Jun-woo = As the repercussions grew, with specialists at the Pediatric Emergency Medical Center at Ajou University Hospital expressing their intention to resign en masse in opposition to the search and seizure related to the case of the death of a patient, the police command was reported to have personally visited the hospital to express regret to the medical staff.

According to the police and medical community on the 29th, Jeong Sang-jin, the head of the National Police Agency's criminal bureau, and Kim Hong-geun, acting chief of the Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency, visited Ajou University Hospital in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon this afternoon and had a private meeting with Hospital Director Cho Jae-ho and Pediatric Emergency Medical Center Director Lee Ji-sook for about 40 minutes.

It is known that officials from the Ministry of Health and Welfare were also present at the event.

This meeting was arranged as a response to growing concerns about a gap in local pediatric emergency medical care as specialists at the center recently expressed their gratitude one after another in connection with the controversy over 'obstruction of medical treatment' that arose after the search and seizure of the Pediatric Emergency Medical Center at the end of last month.

It is reported that the police, including Director Jeong, expressed regret and sympathized with the difficulties and inconveniences experienced by the on-site medical staff during the search and seizure process.

In addition, the investigation process, including case handling procedures and warrant execution background, was explained and understanding was sought, and the hospital reportedly conveyed the difficulties felt by the medical staff at the scene.

Both sides remained silent about the content of the conversation during the meeting on this day, without making an official statement.

An official at Ajou University Hospital said, "It is true that the police command and the hospital met and had a meeting, but since it was a private meeting, we cannot confirm the specific content of the conversation."

A police official said, "This was a meeting prepared to hear the hospital's position and on-site difficulties, etc." and added, "It is difficult to confirm the details of the interview."

Previously, the Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency conducted a search and seizure of Ajou University Hospital's Pediatric Emergency Medical Center on the 30th of last month after receiving a complaint from the bereaved family in relation to an incident in July last year when an infant, who had visited the hospital with symptoms of cyanosis, died during treatment.

Since then, the medical community has strongly protested, saying that the police interfered with medical treatment by carrying out excessive forceful investigations into emergency rooms where treatment was being conducted.

In particular, at the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee audit on the 27th, when Ham Young-wook, head of the Gyeonggi Southern Office's metropolitan investigation team, refrained from expressing a direct apology by saying, "I feel sorry" when the ruling and opposition party lawmakers asked for an apology, 7 out of 9 specialists at the center conveyed their intention to resign to the hospital.

However, to date, no specialist has actually submitted a letter of resignation or retired.

The Korean Medical Association condemned the search and seizure of the emergency room at its regular briefing and repeatedly demanded an apology from the police, and the Korean Society of Pediatric Emergency Medicine plans to hold an emergency press conference regarding this issue at the Seoul Medical Association Building on the morning of the 30th.