By Jun Ji-hye
The National Assembly investigation into the closure of Jinju Medical Center (JMC) ends today with no definite results.
“The Assembly special committee for the investigation plans to hold its last meeting Friday to decide whether parties will file a complaint against Gov. Hong Joon-pyo of the province with the prosecution for rejecting to appear before the Assembly for questioning,” said an Assembly official.
The committee also plans to draw up a joint report of the investigation results.
The investigation was initially designed to clarify the truth of the JMC’s shut down as well as to check the general state of public hospitals’ finances to normalize the nation’s public health service.
The JMC funded by the South Gyeongsang Provincial administration was shut down in May, despite strong protests from its unionized workers and opposition lawmakers, on the grounds of accumulated deficit of 27.9 billion won ($24.5 million).
Lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) agreed on June 13 to launch an Assembly investigation into the case for 32 days.
Gov. Hong was regarded as a core figure to be questioned about the controversial closure, but eventually did not show up at the Assembly after all, despite lawmakers’ continuous requests.
Hong, a seasoned conservative politician of the ruling party, claimed the Assembly abused its authority, saying matters related to the JMC are the sole business of the local government.
Lawmakers sent a warrant of accompanying to Hong Tuesday and said if he does not follow the order by Wednesday 4 p.m., they will file a complaint against him.
Hong was not threatened. “I am not a criminal,” he said, adding that he would not have been “persecuted,” if he had been a pro-President Park Geun-hye faction.
Due to Hong’s absence, criticisms will likely arise describing the investigation as “empty vessels” that make the most sound.
Rep. Chung Woo-taik of the ruling party who heads the committee admitted that the investigation was incompetent.
“It is very regrettable that the committee could not sufficiently investigate the JMC case,” he said Thursday during his radio appearance.