Nurse Assistant Who Performed 'Acupuncture' on Husband at Hospital... Supreme Court Confirms Suspended Sentence

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] A nursing assistant who performed acupuncture on patients at her husband's hospital without proper qualifications has been found guilty.

On the 29th, the Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Cheon Daeyeop) announced that it upheld the lower court's ruling sentencing A, who was charged with violating the Special Act on the Control of Health Crimes (illegal medical practitioner), to one year in prison with a two-year probation.

A was prosecuted for administering acupuncture 263 times on the back and other areas at the physical therapy room of the hospital operated by her husband from October to November 2016. A is the wife of B, who runs a clinic in Cheongju, Chungbuk, and worked as a nursing assistant at that clinic.

A was charged with performing medical acts for profit without qualifications, while her husband B was charged with failing to fulfill his supervisory duties over A.

In court, A admitted to performing acupuncture but argued that since she did not receive any payment, it was not a medical act for profit. B also claimed that he neither knew nor witnessed A’s actions and that no separate fees were charged, so there was no violation.

However, both the first and second trials recognized A’s charges and sentenced her to one year in prison with a two-year probation and a fine of 1.5 million KRW. The court judged that there was a 'profit motive,' one of the elements for establishing the crime, based on A’s statement that the number of hospital patients increased due to her acupuncture, even though no separate fees were charged. B, who neglected to supervise A’s acupuncture, was fined 3 million KRW.

The Supreme Court also upheld the lower court’s judgment, confirming the sentence.

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