Ham Ik-byeong, a dermatologist and head of Ham Ik-byeong & Esther Clinic, stressed that the controversy over comedian Park Na-rae's so-called "injection aunt" is clearly illegal.
On the 9th, Ham appeared on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" and, regarding the claim that Park Na-rae's injection aunt has a foreign medical license, said, "If I go to China and see patients, would China just let it go? If I go to the United States and see patients, would U.S. health authorities just let it go?" adding that it is "illegal."
Ham said, "A U.S. physician can come to Korea and provide consultation. When doctors have difficult patient cases, they discuss them," adding, "But this person cannot go there and prescribe."
When asked by the host whether it would still be impermissible even if a Nobel Prize–winning doctor came, Ham said, "No. They can only provide consultation."
Earlier, on the 7th, the person identified as Park Na-rae's injection aunt, referred to as A, claimed on social media (SNS) that they had worked as a professor at a university hospital in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China.
A specifically said, "I served up to the rank of professor at Baogang Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University and was even able to attract the Korea Plastic Surgery Center." A continued, "I worked hard in life to promote Korea," and also pressed Park Na-rae's former manager, asking, "Manager, do you know the life I have lived?"
Ham said that, while injections and the like can be administered outside medical institutions, there are certain conditions. He explained specifically, "The patient must be one regularly seen by their primary physician, and in emergency situations where the patient cannot visit a hospital, such as being unable to move, it is possible under a doctor's instructions."
Ham went on to say, "In Park Na-rae's case, it does not seem to meet these conditions," adding that it is "clearly illegal."
On the 4th, Park Na-rae became embroiled in controversy after former managers accused her of "gapjil," or power abuse. The controversy grew further as additional allegations surfaced that Park received illegal medical treatment and proxy prescriptions from a person known as the injection aunt.
The medical association also weighed in. It said that without a medical license, one cannot perform medical procedures, and that administering injections to Park Na-rae was clearly an illegal medical act. The Ministry of Health and Welfare also said it would consider an administrative investigation if necessary.
There were also claims that Baogang Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, where A said they worked as a professor, is a phantom medical school. The group Doctors for a Fair Society (Gonguimo), made up of young physicians and medical students, said in a recent statement, "A claimed to have served as a professor at Baogang Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, but upon verification, there was no medical school called Baogang Medical University."
Meanwhile, the Gangnam Police Station received a complaint the previous day through the national petition portal accusing Park Na-rae, the injection aunt, and Park's former manager of violations including the Act on the Control of Narcotics, etc. (psychotropics), the Medical Service Act, and the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act.