Hospital under KEPCO criticized for employing ex-minister's daughter as intern

Lawmakers from the main opposition People Power Party hold a news conference at the National Assembly, Feb. 1, calling on the prosecution to indict former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's daughter for admission fraud at a university and medical school after Cho's wife was convicted of forging her daughter's academic records. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

Hanil General Hospital run by the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp.'s (KEPCO) medical foundation is facing criticism for accepting former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's daughter, Cho Min, as one of its interns.

The controversy follows the conviction and sentencing of Cho's wife to four years in prison in December for forging their daughter's academic records to get her into university and medical school. The ruling has led to growing calls for the qualifications of Cho's daughter to be revoked.

The hospital recruited three interns and notified them individually Thursday ― a departure from its typical practice of disclosing the identities of successful internship candidates on its website. This has raised speculation that the hospital attempted to conceal its decision to hire Cho's daughter amid growing controversy over her qualifications.

Cho Min's selection was made public after the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) obtained relevant data and disclosed it to the media.

The recruitment is drawing criticism from those in the medical sector, members of the public and from the opposition parties.

“Everyone involved with the recruitment process, including the head of the hospital, will be held responsible for the decision,” Lim Hyun-tak who heads a pediatricians' association, said. “A person who is unqualified as a doctor will treat patients from now on. This is a serious problem that will threaten the safety of patients.”

The main opposition party joined the criticism, saying the hospital's “unfair” recruitment would frustrate a number of young people who have been facing difficulties finding a job.

Rep. Hwangbo Seung-hee of the PPP said the wife of Rep. Jung Chung-rae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea is currently working for the hospital as head of the treatment support department, raising suspicions that Cho's daughter could have received special treatment in the recruitment process.

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, one of the close aides to President Moon Jae-in, stepped down from the position in October 2019 amid corruption allegations involving his family.

Last month, Cho Min also applied for an internship at the state-run National Medical Center, but was rejected.