NMC chief thanks veterans of Jutlandia

Ahn Myoung-ock, left, head of the National Medical Center, poses with Ma Young-sam, Korea’s ambassador to Denmark, at the Korean Embassy in Denmark. Behind them is seen Jutlandia Hall within the embassy which commemorates the service of a Danish medical ship during the Korean War. / Courtesy of National Medical Center

By Yoon Ja-young

Ahn Myoung-ock, chief of the National Medical Center, paid a special trip to Denmark to meet veterans of the MS Jutlandia, a Danish medical ship which was deployed to save lives during the Korean War (1950-53).

After the outbreak of war, the Danish government decided to help by deploying a medical ship to support Korea ― its only contribution, but one that made a huge difference. It borrowed a private ship and outfitted it into a medical ship with four operating rooms and 365 beds.

Jutlandia left for Busan from Copenhagen in January 1951, with a crew of 187 as well as 91 doctors and nurses. It treated around 5,000 soldiers and more than 6,000 civilians including war orphans during its three-year tour of duty around Korea.

Ahn was invited to the 65th anniversary commemorating the deployment of the ship. She also met with the veterans of the Jutlandia to hear their stories and thank them.

“It was an opportunity to show our gratitude for Denmark’s dedication during the Korean War,” Ahn said.

She also pointed to the special tie the National Medical Center has with Denmark. The center was established in 1958 following an agreement between the Korean government and three Scandinavian countries ― Denmark, Norway and Sweden. They promised to set up a medical center to help the war-torn country treat patients as well as nurture and train doctors and nurses.

Ahn, who was inaugurated as the chief of the National Medical Center in December 2014, has been actively promoting its historical background. Such effort led the hospital to open its Scandinavia Memorial Hall within the hospital last April.

Ahn majored in obstetrics and gynecology at Yonsei University and studied public health at UCLA. She said that one of her core values is contribution to the public. “Both my parents were doctors, but my father was more proud of being a government worker than a doctor. I also had a passion to play a role for the public good. That’s why I started studying public health,” she said. She served as a lawmaker between 2004 and 2008.

“The National Medical Center started its history thanks to the three Scandinavian countries back in 1958,” she said. “Now, it is time for us to expand the values of universal fraternity and the love for mankind. The efforts will go on both domestically and overseas.”