Director of National Medical Center: "Alarm for All Samsung Donations... Will Build World's Best Infectious Disease Response Capability"

Donation Management 'Special Committee', Samsung Decides Not to Participate

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] "We promise to fully uphold the donor's values and work with the government to build a truly world-class national capacity for infectious disease response."

On the 3rd, Jeong Ki-hyun, director of the National Medical Center, made this statement at a press conference held in Jung-gu, Seoul, regarding Samsung's donation support. The family of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee recently donated 700 billion KRW to the National Medical Center for the establishment of the Central Infectious Disease Hospital. On the 28th of last month, the National Medical Center urgently convened the Donation Management Committee and proposed to the board of directors the formation of a special committee to be operated jointly with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Accordingly, all authority over the management of Samsung's donation will be transferred to the newly formed special committee after approval by the board of directors.

Director Jeong emphasized, "Samsung's donation should serve as a wake-up call to all who have hesitated and delayed in laying the foundation for public health care," adding, "The National Medical Center has today embraced the donor's great will and gained a completely new determination as the core of South Korea's public health care system."

However, Samsung will not participate in the special committee. Director Jeong stated, "The key to managing the donation is ensuring transparency and accountability," and added, "While the donor's right to know must be guaranteed to build trust, Samsung does not participate in the special committee and hopes that the operation will proceed through good consultation."

Director Jeong also said, "It is a grateful thing that a world-class company representing South Korea took the lead in supporting the establishment of the national central infectious disease hospital amid the COVID-19 war in 2021, but honestly, both the government and the parties involved feel a sense of shame," and continued, "It is a bittersweet reality that South Korea, which has grown to the world's 10th largest economy, still has to rely on the social contributions of special individuals rather than the state for its public medical system."

He added, "We are deeply grateful for the donor's goodwill in stepping forward with such a great intention during the national crisis of COVID-19 that has lasted for a year and a half," and concluded, "We promise to fully uphold the donor's values and build a world-class national capacity for infectious disease response."

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