Kim Tae-jin, Gwangju Seo-gu Council Member, "Public Medical Consignment Institutions Must Be Thoroughly Supervised"

Published 18 Jun.2023 15:49(KST)

Kim Tae-jin, a member of the Gwangju Metropolitan City Seo-gu Council, stated during the 5-minute free speech session of the 1st plenary meeting of the 312th regular session, “The role of administrative agencies promoting public healthcare is not being properly fulfilled. Public healthcare is being reduced to a money-making venture.”

Kim Tae-jin, Gwangju Seo-gu Council Member, "Public Medical Consignment Institutions Must Be Thoroughly Supervised"

Kim said that recently, Bitgoeul Medical Foundation, which took over the Gwangju Municipal No.1 Nursing Hospital and Gwangju Municipal Psychiatric Hospital from Gwangju City, is operating a nursing home in Naju with subsidies from Gwangju City and is violating social welfare laws and labor laws by dismissing union members citing deficits.

He continued, “Since February this year, Bitgoeul Medical Foundation, which has been entrusted with operation, dismissed five union members who were promoting demands for collective agreements and employment succession on grounds of obstructing business. The apparent reason was financial deficit. The promotion took place during lunch breaks and was unrelated to work. Furthermore, the hospital’s irrational management, such as deciding employees’ vacation rights by drawing lots at company dinners, infringed on labor rights.”

Kim emphasized, “To resolve the absence of public healthcare and prevent subsidies from turning into profit-making, active measures by administrative agencies are necessary, including the immediate recovery of improperly executed subsidies. Seo-gu must also conduct thorough guidance and supervision of public healthcare entrusted institutions based on the Social Welfare Services Act and other relevant laws.”