5 deaths lead to suit over doctor strike

Bereaved families of five patients, including Kim Kum-Sik, 59, of Seoul, who allegedly died because she could not be treated due to doctors` strike, filed a compensation lawsuit Monday against the government, the Korea Medical Association and hospitals.

Each of the families of the five sought compensation of 50 million won. In the lawsuit, they said that ¡°the doctors took hostage the lives of patients in critical condition just in order to achieve their purposes, forgetting their noble mission.¡± ¡°Patients who could have survived if they had received treatment at the right time died due to the doctors` strike,`` the suit alleges.

The suit also claims that the government let the doctors walk out without working out clear standards for the separation of roles between doctors and pharmacists. The families further alleged that the Korea Medical Association should assume joint responsibility to pay the compensation because it orchestrated the unprecedented strike by doctors and medical college students.

Lee Jung-Eun lightee@donga.com