During a national audit, lawmakers criticized the police for their raid on the pediatric emergency center at Ajou University Hospital. The comments were made on October 13 during a session of the National Assembly's Administrative Safety Committee, which reviewed the Gyeonggi Southern and Northern Police Agencies.
According to Yonhap News, lawmakers unanimously condemned the police's actions, stating that the raid, conducted under the pretext of securing electronic medical records (EMR), was an abuse of power, as it was carried out without prior coordination or clear guidelines in a facility treating critically ill patients.
On July 15, a tragic incident occurred when an infant receiving treatment at the pediatric emergency center died. The family subsequently filed a complaint alleging medical negligence on the part of the hospital. In response, the Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency conducted a raid on the emergency room on September 30. The police claimed they timed the operation to avoid disrupting patient care, but the controversy surrounding the raid has not subsided.
Representative Seo Myung-ok of the People Power Party stated, "The hospital's electronic medical records are automatically saved every second, making tampering impossible. Yet, the police stormed the pediatric emergency center without even requesting prior documentation. This is an abuse of power that violates the presumption of innocence and disrespects the medical professionals on site." She added, "It is inappropriate to seize a doctor's computer to check electronic records or documents that could have been submitted voluntarily."
Representative Yoon Geon-young of the Democratic Party also raised concerns about the lack of a manual for forced investigations in medical institutions. He remarked, "The absence of any prior cooperation requests or guidelines when raiding an emergency medical facility that deals with life and death is a highly opportunistic mindset. Despite the existence of regulations prohibiting interference with emergency medical services, the police executed a warrant based on arbitrary judgment, which is a serious issue." He further noted, "Contrary to the police's claims that there was no disruption to medical services, the hospital has clearly stated that its right to provide care was infringed upon by the execution of the warrant."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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