Veteran lawmaker Park Jie-won of the Democratic Party of Korea has been reported to the police on suspicion of seeking special favors at an emergency room. [Photo: Yonhap News] 

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Jie-won has been reported to the police on suspicion of seeking special favors at an emergency room.

Park was reported to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 3rd by the Citizens' Committee for the People's Livelihood (CCPL, Secretary-General Kim Soon-hwan) on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of business, after he publicly disclosed on social media that he had made a personal request to hospital officials for treatment of shingles.

Regarding the purpose of the report, the CCPL criticized, "This is an unethical and backward act that is difficult to believe from a five-term lawmaker." They added, "Considering his past actions, where he urged Rep. Kim Byung-ki to prioritize the party over personal interests and pressured him to leave the party amidst allegations of illegal political fund-raising related to nominations and preferential treatment at a hospital for his spouse, this is a double standard that goes beyond moral laxity."

On the 30th of last month, Park posted on his Facebook page about his shingles diagnosis, stating, "I directly called Director Jang Seok-il of Seongae Medical Center (Seongae Hospital), who was the former President Kim Dae-jung's personal physician, and asked for a favor at the emergency room as his schedule would end around 8:30 PM."

He continued, "Upon arriving at the hospital, the vice director and the head nurse were waiting. After examination, it was confirmed as shingles, and I received an IV drip and injections for about 20 minutes, and then stayed for about an hour and a half, including an IV for fatigue recovery, before being discharged around 10 PM."

In its complaint, the CCPL stated, "At a time when general public access to emergency rooms is difficult, to the point of the term 'emergency room뺑뺑이' (ER roulette) being used, Rep. Park's act of using his status as a five-term member of the National Assembly to make a personal request to the hospital director and receiving preferential treatment from the vice director and head nurse for emergency room treatment is a clear privilege and abuse of power."

As the controversy spread, Park edited the post seven times, deleting sensitive phrases such as "emergency room favor."

In a media interview, Park stated, "The director of the hospital I frequent was President Kim Dae-jung's personal physician, but everyone receives treatment at the emergency room at night, so please understand."

Meanwhile, in the first interpellation session of the 22nd National Assembly on September 22, 2024, Park was the first to question and stated, "The public is dying due to 'ER roulette.' The golden time was missed due to waiting for the President's reaction. Who is driving the people to their deaths?" criticizing the medical crisis.

CCPL Donation Account: Post Office 010108-01-014472 

Account Holder: Citizens' Committee for the People's Livelihood 

Reporter Lim Yo-hee