"Unpaid Medical Costs for Foreign Patients Without Acquaintances Should Not Be Shifted to Private Hospitals"

Chinese Worker Collapses on the Job... Hospital Bears KRW 800 Million in Medical Costs
Anti-Corruption Commission Recommends “Measures Needed to Improve Related Systems”

There has been a recommendation that the government establish countermeasures after a private hospital was left with more than KRW 800 million in unpaid medical bills for treating a foreign patient without any acquaintances in South Korea, who collapsed while working after entering the country on a tourist visa (C-1).

On July 29, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced that it had advised the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and local governments to develop measures to improve the system for repatriating foreign patients without any acquaintances who are in critical condition or unconscious and have remained hospitalized in intensive care units for extended periods, as well as to address the issue of unpaid medical bills.

Emergency Medical Center at a hospital in Seoul. Not directly related to the article content. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

In September 2019, a Chinese national, referred to as Mr. A, entered South Korea on a tourist visa and began working as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Ulsan, where he collapsed due to a cerebral hemorrhage after nine days. Following two transfers, Mr. A was admitted to an intensive care unit at a local hospital in December of that year. Based on mandatory medical care regulations as stipulated in the Emergency Medical Service Act and the Medical Service Act, the hospital continued to provide treatment for Mr. A over a period of six years. During this time, the accumulated unpaid medical bills reached approximately KRW 840 million.

Mr. A’s underage daughter and older brother in China submitted a statement of waiver for further treatment, citing financial hardship. In addition, current guidelines classify a cerebral hemorrhage—Mr. A’s diagnosis—as a chronic disease, which means it is excluded from eligibility for medical benefit support. The application for industrial accident medical benefits was also denied, leaving no path for government assistance.

In July of last year, the hospital filed a complaint regarding these hardships through the National Petition Portal, and even after that, the hospital continued to bear the financial burden. Mr. A passed away in April of this year.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission pointed out that while medical institutions are required by law to provide emergency treatment and care to foreign patients without acquaintances in South Korea, there are no systems in place to support unpaid bills or assist with repatriation. The commission warned that if this situation continues, secondary consequences, such as hospitals refusing to provide care to foreign patients, could arise.

The Ulsan city government has decided to set up separate administrative support manuals by department to handle repatriation and medical bill issues in similar cases. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also pledged to make diplomatic efforts to help resolve these issues.

Min Seongsim, Director General of Grievance Settlement at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, stated, "Active participation and cooperation from central ministries such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as from local governments, are desperately needed in order to resolve the issues of repatriation and unpaid medical bills for foreign patients without acquaintances."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.