Seoul Court Orders Hospital to Pay 540 Million Won for Newborn Death

A Seoul district court ruled that a hospital and its attending physician were liable for the death of a newborn who died three days after birth. The infant, born on 16 January 2024, was given a total of 270 ml of milk over six feedings within an eight‑hour period, far exceeding recommended amounts. The court found that the excessive feeding caused vomiting, airway blockage and hypoxia, and that emergency response was delayed and improperly performed.

The court ordered the doctor (identified as “A”) and the obstetrics‑gynecology department head to jointly pay the plaintiffs about 540 million won in damages. The hospital’s insurer was ordered to contribute 50 million won, while a claim by the infant’s grandmother was limited to 5 million won. The judgment highlighted failures such as a 30‑minute delay before calling emergency services, an unsuccessful nurse‑performed intubation, and the use of adult CPR ratios instead of the recommended 3:1 for infants.