Lee Jae-myung Sends Cooperation Letter to 300 National Assembly Members on 'Operating Room CCTV Installation Act'

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, sent a letter to 300 lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties, urging active interest and cooperation regarding the 'Operating Room CCTV Installation Act' pending approval in the National Assembly plenary session.

In the letter sent on the 27th, Governor Lee stated, "The primary duty of the state is to protect the lives and safety of its citizens. Although some in the medical community suggest 'leaving it to the autonomy of medical staff,' surgical medical procedures are matters where a single accident can determine the life of a citizen, thus requiring the role of the state." He added, "I once again ask for the active cooperation of lawmakers so that the (Operating Room CCTV Installation Act) can pass through the National Assembly plenary session."

He also emphasized, "If you look at the amended Medical Service Act that has passed the standing committee, the concerns raised by some in the medical community can be sufficiently resolved," adding, "The bill mandates the 'installation' of CCTV, not the 'recording'?including installing CCTV inside operating rooms that are not connected to external networks, recording only upon patient request, and allowing viewing only upon requests from public institutions related to investigations or trials or with mutual consent of patient and medical staff?thus guaranteeing the choice of the parties involved in surgery."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province began installing and operating CCTV in operating rooms at Anseong Hospital of Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center in 2018, the first in the nation to do so, including proposals for mandatory Medical Service Act amendments on 'Operating Room CCTV Installation.' The following year, in 2019, the installation was expanded to six medical centers within the province, and last year, two private medical institutions currently operate CCTV after applying for participation.

A provincial official stated, "Installing CCTV in operating rooms is a measure to create an environment where patients can undergo surgery with peace of mind and to restore trust between patients and doctors," adding, "However, the reality is that without a legal basis for mandatory implementation, it is difficult to encourage more voluntary participation from private medical institutions."

The province expects that following the passage of the amendment through the National Assembly standing committee on the 23rd, it will be swiftly processed in the plenary session on the 30th, thereby establishing a legal foundation against illegal medical practices and patient rights violations within operating rooms.

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