Prosecutors summarily indict 10 over 'medical community blacklist' case; KMA emergency committee cleared of obstruction charges

[Financial News] Prosecutors have summarily indicted 10 people accused of spreading blacklists, illegally collecting donations, and concealing evidence in connection with the mass resignation of residents that erupted after the Yoon Suk Yeol government announced its medical school enrollment expansion policy in February 2024.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Public Investigation Division 3, led by Chief Prosecutor Kim Jeong-ok, said on the 24th that it had summarily indicted 10 people, including an emergency committee member of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), on charges of violating the anti-stalking law and the Act on the Collection and Use of Donations, as well as evidence concealment.
According to prosecutors, they are accused of repeatedly posting the names of fellow doctors who did not join the collective action on 'MediStaff' and other anonymous online communities used by doctors.
A also faces charges of raising about 500 million won in donations without registering with the relevant authorities, under the pretext of supporting resigning residents. In addition, some suspects are accused of obstructing the investigation by changing the site access password after police raided the community, following posts encouraging doctors to join the collective action.
However, prosecutors decided not to indict 19 current and former KMA emergency committee members and others on charges of obstructing business by encouraging residents to resign and leaking official secrets by disclosing a list of public health physicians assigned to medical institutions.
On the obstruction charge, prosecutors concluded that there was no evidence that the KMA emergency committee members directly ordered residents to resign. They also said it was difficult to view the case as a conspiracy with residents to plan acts of obstruction.
As for the charge of leaking official secrets, prosecutors determined that the public health physician in question had received the assignment list on a mobile phone from a relevant public official and then shared it with fellow public health physicians simply to exchange information. They said it was difficult to establish intent to disclose a secret.
With this decision, prosecutors have effectively wrapped up all investigations into illegal acts by the medical community during the push to expand medical school enrollment.
A prosecution official said, "We decided whether to indict based on evidence and legal principles, in line with our objective duty." The official added, "We will continue to do our utmost to ensure the legality and appropriateness of criminal justice procedures."
[email protected] Kim Dong-gyu Reporter