'Shin Hyun-young Controversy' Spreads to Former Myeongji Hospital... Ruling Party Leadership Candidate Says "Investigation Needed"

Kwon Seong-dong and Yoon Sang-hyun "Investigation of Myongji Hospital Needed"
Kim Haeng, Emergency Committee Member, Also Emphasizes Need for National Investigation

Shin Hyun-young, member of the Democratic Party of Korea./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Ruling party leadership candidates raised their voices demanding an investigation into Myongji Hospital regarding allegations that Democratic Party lawmaker Shin Hyun-young called a Myongji Hospital doctor car and rode along with her husband. Suspicion of a 'cartel' between Myongji Hospital and the opposition party was also raised within the ruling party leadership. The controversy surrounding Rep. Shin seems to be spreading to Myongji Hospital, which is considered her 'home base.'

On the 22nd, Rep. Kwon Seong-dong, who declared his candidacy for the People Power Party leadership, stated on his social media (SNS), "Myongji Hospital should also be subject to a national audit (along with Rep. Shin)." He added, "If the doctor car was dispatched at Rep. Shin's request, Myongji Hospital must also bear responsibility for the private use of the national disaster system."

He said, "Since right after the Itaewon incident, the Democratic Party has been calling for a fact-finding investigation, and that investigation should include the misconduct of Democratic Party lawmakers. If the national audit is conducted as a 'Democratic Party exception,' no citizen will trust that investigation."

Earlier, Rep. Shin stepped down from her position on the opposition party's national audit committee amid allegations that she called a Myongji Hospital doctor car heading to the scene of the Itaewon disaster and rode along with her husband. However, as more suspicions surrounding her have been revealed one by one, the controversy appears to be growing.

Rep. Kwon pointed out, "Rep. Shin moved to the Central Emergency Medical Center control room by riding in a Ministry of Health and Welfare official car, which prevented the first vice minister, the actual person in charge, from boarding. More importantly, Rep. Shin, who claimed to have gone to the accident site as a doctor, reportedly left after 15 minutes. This suggests that the purpose of the site visit was not rescue but a 'photo op.'"

Another ruling party leadership candidate, Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, also raised his voice on the 21st via his SNS, calling for an investigation into Myongji Hospital. He pointed out, "Myongji Hospital is where Cho Min, daughter of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, applied for residency, and it is also the hospital where the eldest son of Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung was admitted, despite having the nearby Bundang Seoul National University Hospital available. Lee Wang-jun, a Seoul National University pro-Juche faction alumnus, is the chairman, and Rep. Shin, who staged the Itaewon disaster as her golden time show, worked at Myongji Hospital," highlighting the complex entanglement of Myongji Hospital with the opposition party.

He added, "A thorough investigation is necessary for Myongji Hospital, which appears to have close ties with the political world. Myongji Hospital, responsible for selection and operation at the Incheon International Airport COVID-19 testing center, earned 21.71039 billion won in revenue from entry and exit testing fees, so a transparent investigation is needed into how it was selected."

Similar resolute voices emerged from the ruling party leadership. At a meeting that day, Emergency Committee member Kim Haeng raised suspicions similar to those of Rep. Yoon and said, "The doctor car incident is not simply a case of Rep. Shin's abuse of power but involves Representative Lee at its core," adding, "We need to consider whether Rep. Shin and Myongji Hospital can be included in the national audit."

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