Abuse of ER staff rises 37% in three years
A total of 801 cases of abuse in hospital emergency rooms were reported across the country last year, a government data showed Sunday, having risen each year since 585 reported in 2021.
The most frequent problem was abusive language, accounting for 73.3 percent of all cases (587), according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare data submitted to Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the main opposition People Power Party. It was followed by 123 cases of physical assault, 36 cases of threats, and 28 cases of destroying hospital equipment.
For the first half of 2025, 306 cases of abuse were reported in emergency rooms.
The report showed that 55.4 percent of cases were by carried out by people who were drunk.
People under the influence have been responsible for at least 50 percent of all abuse since 2021, with 52.6 percent in 2021, 53.8 percent in 2022, and 51.9 percent in 2023.
"ER should be the final bastion to protect people's lives and a safe zone everyone can rely on. There should be a strong law and system to protect the medical staff," Rep. Kim said.
Violence persists despite punishment
The Article 12 of the Emergency Medical Service Act prohibits anyone from interfering with emergency medical services, including treatment of patients. Violations can be punished by up to 5 years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won ($36,000).
Last month, a man in his 50s accused of pushing a doctor and yelling at a nurse for not treating his mother promptly was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for a year. In March, a man in his 20s was fined 1 million won for threatening a nurse for giving him a shot without consent, after he was carried there for overdosing on psychiatric medication.
Under a guideline for the emergency staff set by the Health Ministry last year, medical staff can refuse to force treatment on those refusing medical aid via violent means, such as through physical force, threat, deception and other means.
The guideline was distributed in September of last year to the Korean Medical Association, the Korean Nursing Association, and regional governments across the country.
Article 15 of the Medical Service Act bans medical personnel from refusing treatment without a justifiable cause, but what constitutes such a cause is not stipulated in the law itself. The guideline was presented by the ministry, based on its interpretation of the legal clauses.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
HLB appoints Brian Kim as CEO of US subsidary Elevar Therapeutics
Korean biopharmaceutical firm HLB said Wednesday it has appointed Brian Kim, current CEO of HLB Innovation and Verismo Therapeutics, as CEO of its US subsidiary, Elevar Therapeutics. Kim will lead all three companies concurrently. HLB said the leadership change is a strategic move to align with the skills needed at each stage of drug development, particularly as Elevar prepares to enter the commercialization phase and expand global partnerships with big pharma. Kim holds extensive experience in finance, strategic business management and biotechnology, including research in CAR-T cancer treatments and founding multiple biotech firms. A former tenured clinical professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Kim was a founding member of Nasdaq-listed Inovio Pharmaceuticals. He has invested in various businesses, including acquiring a Kospi-listed company and elevating it into the Kospi 200 index. Kim also has invested in and led several biotech ventures in both the US and Korea. 'I feel a deep sense of responsibility taking on this role at such a pivotal moment,' Kim said. 'My focus will be on securing regulatory approval for Elevar's lead liver cancer therapy and ensuring its successful commercialization, while driving sustainable growth for the company.' HLB added that Kim's leadership will help accelerate Elevar's global business expansion and innovation in oncology therapeutics.
Korea Herald
04-08-2025
- Korea Herald
Abuse of ER staff rises 37% in three years
Over half of violent disruptions caused by people who were drunk A total of 801 cases of abuse in hospital emergency rooms were reported across the country last year, a government data showed Sunday, having risen each year since 585 reported in 2021. The most frequent problem was abusive language, accounting for 73.3 percent of all cases (587), according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare data submitted to Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the main opposition People Power Party. It was followed by 123 cases of physical assault, 36 cases of threats, and 28 cases of destroying hospital equipment. For the first half of 2025, 306 cases of abuse were reported in emergency rooms. The report showed that 55.4 percent of cases were by carried out by people who were drunk. People under the influence have been responsible for at least 50 percent of all abuse since 2021, with 52.6 percent in 2021, 53.8 percent in 2022, and 51.9 percent in 2023. "ER should be the final bastion to protect people's lives and a safe zone everyone can rely on. There should be a strong law and system to protect the medical staff," Rep. Kim said. Violence persists despite punishment The Article 12 of the Emergency Medical Service Act prohibits anyone from interfering with emergency medical services, including treatment of patients. Violations can be punished by up to 5 years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won ($36,000). Last month, a man in his 50s accused of pushing a doctor and yelling at a nurse for not treating his mother promptly was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for a year. In March, a man in his 20s was fined 1 million won for threatening a nurse for giving him a shot without consent, after he was carried there for overdosing on psychiatric medication. Under a guideline for the emergency staff set by the Health Ministry last year, medical staff can refuse to force treatment on those refusing medical aid via violent means, such as through physical force, threat, deception and other means. The guideline was distributed in September of last year to the Korean Medical Association, the Korean Nursing Association, and regional governments across the country. Article 15 of the Medical Service Act bans medical personnel from refusing treatment without a justifiable cause, but what constitutes such a cause is not stipulated in the law itself. The guideline was presented by the ministry, based on its interpretation of the legal clauses.
Korea Herald
30-07-2025
- Korea Herald
South Koreans live longer, but suicide rate remains highest
Life expectancy rises to 83.5 years, outpacing OECD average by over two years South Korea's life expectancy reached 83.5 years as of 2023, surpassing by 2.4 years the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's average of 81.1 years, a report released by the Paris-based organization showed Wednesday. The same OECD Health Statistics 2025 report released via South Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare showed that the country continues to report the highest suicide rate among OECD member nations, despite progress in life expectancy and health outcomes. Life expectancy refers to the average number of years a newborn is expected to live based on current mortality trends. Indicators also show improvements in medical outcomes. South Korea's avoidable mortality rate, which refers to the average number of deaths from preventable causes, stood at 151.0 per 100,000 people in 2022, significantly lower than the OECD average of 228.6. A lower number means the quality of the medical environment is higher. The rate has declined by 3.1 percent on a yearly average over the past decade, indicating a steady improvement in health care quality. The country's infant mortality rate was also lower, at 2.5 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to the OECD average of 4.1. High suicide, smoking rates with rising obesity Since 2003, the country has topped the list in suicide mortality. The latest comparable data from 2022 showed South Korea's suicide rate stood at 23.2 deaths per 100,000 people — more than twice the OECD average of 10.7. At the same time, there have been signs of gradual improvement. From 2012 to 2022, Korea's suicide rate dropped by 23.4 percent, from 30.3 to 23.2, outpacing the OECD average decline of 16.4 percent over the same period. In 2023, South Korea's current health expenditure amounted to 8.5 percent of gross domestic product, slightly lower than the OECD average of 9.1 percent. However, due to the rapidly aging population, per capita health spending has grown faster than in most countries. Korea's per capita health expenditure rose by an average of 7.8 percent annually over the past decade, compared to the OECD average increase of 5.2 percent. In terms of purchasing power parity, which is a yardstick for comparing the purchasing power of different currencies, the figure stood at $4,586 per capita in 2023. In 2023, 15.3 percent of South Koreans aged 15 and older were classified as daily smokers, higher than the OECD average of 13.2 percent. However, the smoking rate has been steadily declining, down from 19.9 percent in 2013 and 17.5 percent in 2018. Meanwhile, per capita annual alcohol consumption was 7.8 liters in 2023, below the OECD average of 8.6 liters. Alcohol intake, similar to smoking, has trended downward over the past decade. Despite lower rates of overweight and obesity compared to other OECD countries, South Korea is seeing a gradual rise in obesity. In 2023, 36.5 percent of people aged 15 and over had a body mass index of 25 or higher — the second-lowest among OECD countries after Japan at 26 percent. While still low in ranking, this marked an increase from 31.5 percent in 2013 and 34.3 percent in 2018.
