By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
A Seoul National University Hospital administrative staff member embezzled more than 730 million won (about $500,000) of donations set aside for poor patients, the hospital said Thursday. The hospital will sue her and requested the police to track her whereabouts.
According to police, the woman, identified as Oh, worked at the hospital's Bundang branch in Gyeonggi Province from 2005 and failed to place cash donations into the bank account of the Hamchoon Aid Association, made up of the university's medical school graduates. The illegal practice took place over 142 times, allowing her to pocket more than 730 million won.
Oh's irregularities were revealed during an internal audit. She has not shown up for work since.
According to police, she used 600 million won to pay off personal debts. The investigative body confiscated the remainder from her bank account.
As Hamchoon was not a formal association of the hospital, she was able to embezzle the money more easily without being caught, a hospital official said. The hospital dismissed Oh and one of her bosses.