SEOUL – A South Korean man in his 50s died after being turned away by 10 hospitals due to staff shortages caused by ongoing medical strikes, prompting the government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The man, who lived in Yeoncho-myeon, Geoje city, began experiencing abdominal pain and vomiting on the night of September 6, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Emergency services were called at 3:28 a.m., but despite the urgency of his condition, nearby hospitals in larger cities such as Changwon, Jinju, and Busan refused to admit him due to the lack of medical personnel.
Though the man was eventually admitted to a hospital in Geoje around 4:46 a.m., the facility could not perform the necessary surgery due to staff shortages. He was later transferred to a hospital in Busan by 8:53 a.m. for treatment, but tragically, he died two days later.
The case is the latest in a series of delayed treatments linked to South Korea’s ongoing medical staff shortage, worsened by a months-long strike by doctors protesting the government’s plans to increase medical school admissions. Several such delays have resulted in deaths or the deterioration of patients’ conditions.
The Health Ministry has directed regional governments to investigate the patient’s case, reviewing the actions taken by each hospital and the process by which the patient was eventually admitted. The ministry has also pledged to launch its own investigation if necessary and vowed to take corrective action should any issues be uncovered.