[2026 National Assembly Audit] Ruling and Opposition Lawmakers Criticize Search of Ajou University Hospital Pediatric ER... Police: "We Will Prevent a Recurrence"

Investigation methods come under fire at Health and Welfare Committee audit
"Patient safety and continuity of care must be considered"
Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong: "We will revise guidelines to reflect the medical community's views"

Lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties on the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee jointly criticized the police investigation methods over the search and seizure of Ajou University Hospital's Pediatric Emergency Medical Center. The police maintained that they conducted the search and seizure without disrupting medical care, but in response to lawmakers' repeated demands for an apology, they stopped at expressing regret, saying they "regretted what happened."

Ham Younguk, head of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency's Provincial Investigation Unit, answers a question from People Power Party lawmaker Han Jia during a comprehensive audit by the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee on the 27th. National Assembly TV

On October 27, Ham Younguk, head of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency's Provincial Investigation Unit, appeared as a witness at a comprehensive audit by the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee and faced intensive questioning about the circumstances of the search and seizure of Ajou University Hospital's pediatric emergency room on September 30 and whether it interfered with medical care.

The search and seizure was conducted in connection with a case in which the family of a four-month-old infant who died after visiting the hospital's Pediatric Emergency Medical Center in July this year filed a complaint alleging medical negligence. Medical staff have protested that the compulsory investigation failed to take into account the special circumstances of emergency medical care.

When Assemblywoman Han Jia of the People Power Party pressed him on whether the police had consulted medical experts during the search and seizure, Ham replied, "We did not seek advice." Asked whether he had ever conducted a search and seizure of a pediatric emergency room during his 32-year police career, he said, "This was the first time."

Han criticized the investigation methods for failing to consider the special circumstances of medical settings. "The reason there had been no search and seizure of a pediatric emergency medical center before was not that it could not be done, but that restraint had been exercised," she said, adding, "The investigation should have given sufficient consideration to patient safety and the conditions in which essential medical services are provided." She also rebuked the police, saying, "(At the time, they) interfered with medical staff providing care, treated them like criminals, and humiliated them."

Lawmakers also debated whether the search and seizure was necessary. Assemblyman Baek Jongheon of the People Power Party asked whether there had been any indication that the hospital had actually attempted to falsify medical records or destroy documents. Ham did not disclose any specific details, saying, "The investigation is ongoing." He did, however, explain that "a forensic examination was necessary to check whether electronic medical records (EMRs) could be altered after the fact and to establish the authenticity and admissibility of the original evidence in court." He stressed that "the possibility of subsequent edits or changes by authorized users also needs to be checked."

Baek responded, "Even if a warrant has been issued, the police remain responsible for protecting patient safety during its execution." His point was that even when the need for an investigation is recognized, the appropriateness of how it is carried out must be assessed separately to ensure it does not disrupt emergency care.

The police and medical staff also offered conflicting accounts of whether medical care had actually been disrupted. Ham said, "We consulted with hospital staff in advance and conducted the minimum necessary search and seizure in unoccupied examination and treatment rooms." Regarding the area where patients were present, he explained, "We waited for four hours, received a report that all patient care had finished, and then entered with hospital staff."

The medical community, however, maintains that the search and seizure disrupted care. Assemblyman Lee Inyoung of the Democratic Party of Korea pointed out the discrepancy between the police account and statements from medical staff at the scene. "If there were problems with the way it was carried out, it would be better to offer a sincere apology. There is no reason to be reluctant to apologize," he said. Ham responded, "I truly regret the distress the medical staff experienced during the search and seizure, as well as the inconvenience caused to patients," but did not offer a clear apology.

Lawmakers also called for guidelines on compulsory investigations at emergency medical institutions. Baek stressed, "Even if existing police guidelines include a provision to accommodate urgent medical care, specific procedures are needed for adjusting the timing and method of execution when medical staff say that urgent treatment is necessary."

Assemblyman Kim Yoon of the Democratic Party of Korea said, "According to materials I received from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, I was told there are no internal guidelines related to searches and seizures of emergency rooms." He added, "In Utah, the United States, the police department and a university hospital worked together to develop guidelines. We, too, need to establish standards that fully reflect the views of medical professionals working at the scene."

Health and Welfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong replied, "We are continuing working-level consultations with the National Police Agency. We have gathered the views of the medical community and conveyed them to the agency, which is also cooperating. We will review and improve the current guidelines, then report to the National Assembly on the schedule for related measures."

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