"Professor Juseokjung Who Dedicated 365 Days and 24 Hours" Seoul Asan Hospital in Mourning

Living Near Hospital, Saving Emergency Patients
Appointed Dean of Ulsan University College of Medicine for Funeral

On the 16th, a wave of condolences continues for Professor Joo Seokjung, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Seoul Asan Medical Center, who died in an unexpected traffic accident. Hospital medical staff remembered him as a dedicated doctor who devoted himself to patients, while also calling for improvements at the accident site, which had long been known to be dangerous.

Seoul Asan Hospital exterior. [Photo by Seoul Asan Hospital]

An employee of the hospital wrote on an anonymous workplace community on the same day, "Professor Joo, who lived next to the hospital for a long time and was awake 24/7 for aortic emergencies," and added, "He worked hard at a difficult department and difficult part, saving many patients at the crossroads of life and death. The image of him sweating day and night at the hospital is vivid," paying tribute to the deceased.

Another employee posted, "The cardiothoracic surgeon who saved countless lives has sadly passed away," and said, "Since I often saw him, my chest feels tight and I think I am not the only one who cannot hide the sadness." Dozens of posts mourning the deceased were posted on internal bulletin boards and online.

Professor Joo graduated from Yonsei University College of Medicine, earned a master's degree in medicine from Korea University, and a doctorate in medicine from Ulsan University. He majored in cardiothoracic surgery, a field known as one of the most challenging specialties, and worked especially in the aortic field, where emergency surgeries are frequent, saving many patients. He served as an executive director of the Korean Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, chairman of the Aortic Research Society, and director of the Aortic Disease Center at Seoul Asan Medical Center’s Heart Hospital. He was recognized as an authority in aortic diseases through active research and clinical work.

Voices demanding improvements at the accident site are also reportedly coming from employees. The site is a narrow single-lane road, yet large trucks often do not reduce speed. There is a waste storage yard and a ready-mix concrete plant near the hospital, resulting in frequent truck traffic. Especially on weekdays, patients’ and guardians’ vehicles, buses, trucks, and pharmacy vehicles are all mixed together, increasing the risk of accidents, according to some employees. One employee said, "I think part of the cause of the accident is the structural problem of the road at the accident site and the surrounding facilities."

Meanwhile, Professor Joo’s funeral will be held by the dean of Ulsan University College of Medicine. The funeral hall is prepared in Room 20 of Seoul Asan Medical Center Funeral Hall. The funeral procession will be at 9 a.m. on the 20th, and the burial site is Byeokje Yongmiri. Condolences can be paid from 10 a.m. on the 18th.

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