The so-called "injection aunt" controversy, which began with allegations of abusive behavior by broadcaster Park Na-rae, has grown in impact as it spread to possible violations of the Medical Service Act. It was eventually confirmed that the person in question does not hold a domestic medical license, prompting growing calls from the medical community and authorities for a tough response.
On the 9th, dermatologist Ham Ik-byeong, appearing on CBS Radio's Kim Hyun-jung's News Show, took a firm stance on the matter, saying, "Even if someone is a foreign doctor, performing medical practice without a domestic license is clearly illegal."
Ham said in response to Park Na-rae's side explaining that the person known as the "injection aunt" was a doctor from Inner Mongolia, China, "Even if someone obtained a medical license abroad, they cannot perform medical practice in Korea," and added, "Even a world-renowned doctor who won a Nobel Prize cannot issue prescriptions domestically. They can only provide consultation."
He also pointed out that it was problematic that Park Na-rae received injections at her home. Ham said, "Home visits are permitted only in a limited way at the attending physician's discretion for patients who have difficulty moving," and emphasized, "Receiving injections at home simply because one is busy does not fall under any exception in the Medical Service Act. It is generally illegal." In particular, regarding the allegation that "two months' worth of medicine was stockpiled," Ham said, "It appears to be a medication that cannot be purchased without a prescription, and it is highly likely to be a psychotropic drug," and warned, "If it involves proxy prescriptions or unauthorized distribution, the level of punishment is likely to be considerable."
Alongside these expert warnings, Channel A's exclusive report on the 8th officially confirmed that the person identified as the "injection aunt" is not a holder of a domestic medical license. A search of the Korean Medical Association Organization's internal database showed no domestic license registration record for the person. The Korean Medical Association Organization is the statutory body in which all medical professionals holding domestic medical licenses are required to register. In other words, not being in the association's database means lacking the qualification to perform medical practice. Under the current Medical Service Act, performing unlicensed medical practice can result in imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to 50 million won.
As the controversy spread, the medical association immediately issued an official statement calling for a tough response. In its statement, the association described the matter as "a violation of the Medical Service Act and the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act that seriously threatens public health," and urged the government and investigative authorities to conduct thorough investigations and impose strict punishments for ▲unlicensed medical practice and ▲illegal distribution of psychotropic drugs.
It also demanded that the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety conduct a full survey and strengthen oversight on ▲secret unlicensed medical practice, ▲illegal proxy prescriptions and ▲the overall distribution of psychotropic drugs, and requested that the Korean Medical Association Organization be granted "self-disciplinary authority" to effectively clean up medical practice sites.
Earlier, former Korean Medical Association Organization president Im Hyun-taek fanned the controversy by saying he had directly filed a complaint with prosecutors against the person on charges including violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes Related to Public Health and Safety, the Medical Service Act and the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act. Through social media, Im said, "We should consider passport suspension, travel bans and detention investigations," and argued, "The person's husband, Park Na-rae's manager and Park Na-rae herself should also be thoroughly investigated for joint principal offender or aiding and abetting." He further voiced strongly that "the scope of the investigation should be expanded to cover illegal medical practices targeting celebrities overall."
The Ministry of Health and Welfare also said the case is "already known to investigative agencies" and that "after monitoring the progress of the investigation, we will consider administrative investigation if necessary." As it was confirmed that the person known as the "injection aunt" does not hold a domestic medical license, the controversy has spread beyond a simple personal matter to become an issue of examining illegal practices throughout the medical system.
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