Politics · Vietnam Bureau
South Korean court fines acupuncturist after elderly patient's fatal heart injury
A South Korean court has imposed a fine on a traditional Korean medicine practitioner following the death of a 92-year-old patient whose heart muscle was pierced during chest acupuncture treatment. The patient, who was being treated for back pain, died from complications resulting from the procedure.
LSN Vietnam ·
A district court in South Korea has fined a doctor of traditional Korean medicine 20 million won, equivalent to approximately US$15,100, after a needle used during acupuncture treatment fatally damaged a patient's heart muscle.
The 92-year-old patient was undergoing treatment for back pain when the acupuncturist performed chest acupuncture. During the procedure, a needle penetrated the heart muscle, resulting in a tear that ultimately proved fatal.
The case underscores ongoing concerns about the safety protocols and training standards in traditional medicine practices across the region. While acupuncture remains a widely utilized therapeutic approach in East Asian medical traditions, medical professionals emphasize the critical importance of proper anatomical knowledge and careful needle placement, particularly when treating sensitive areas of the body.
The court's decision reflects growing judicial scrutiny of traditional medical practitioners and their adherence to safety standards. The fine represents a significant penalty in South Korean legal proceedings involving medical malpractice cases within the alternative medicine sector.
The incident has renewed discussions among health authorities regarding oversight and licensing requirements for practitioners of traditional Korean medicine and similar disciplines across Asia.