Police "Director of Nursing Hospital Accused of Killing 2 Patients, Considering Reapplying for Warrant After Supplementary Investigation"

2015 Patient Murder Charges for 2
"Lack of Direct Evidence" Court Rejects Warrant

The Seoul police are focusing on strengthening their investigation to prove charges after a detention warrant was dismissed against the director of a nursing hospital in Seoul, who is accused of killing two elderly patients admitted to the nursing hospital.

A director of a nursing hospital accused of killing two patients during medical procedures is leaving the Seoul Western District Court on the 14th after completing the pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant hearing).
[Photo by Yonhap News]

A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official stated on the 20th, "The court dismissed the detention warrant due to lack of direct evidence," and added, "We plan to decide whether to reapply for the detention warrant after reinforcing the investigation."

The police are investigating Nursing Hospital Director A and others on charges of murder for administering potassium chloride (KCL) to an 80-year-old female tuberculosis patient and a 60-year-old male patient at a nursing hospital located in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, in 2015, resulting in their deaths.

Previously, the police applied for detention warrants for A and two employees identified as accomplices, but on the 14th, the court dismissed the warrants, citing "insufficient direct evidence of the killing act, leaving room for dispute." It is known that A and others deny the charges.

The patients reportedly contracted tuberculosis after being admitted to the nursing hospital. The police are continuing the investigation on the premise that the crimes were committed out of concern that the hospital would suffer disadvantages in evaluations if the in-hospital infection transmission became known.

A police official said, "Since the funeral procedures proceeded without determining the cause of death through an autopsy in the early stages, and eight years have passed, there is a weakness in the lack of direct evidence," but added, "We applied for the detention warrant because the circumstances can be confirmed." He continued, "We hope the court's acceptance of circumstantial evidence will broaden," and said, "We will take time to conduct a reinforced investigation."

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