South Korean Ministry of Health urges hospitals to end workplace harassment

South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare has called on hospital directors nationwide to establish a healthy organizational culture and eradicate workplace harassment. This directive follows recent tragic incidents involving nurses and radiographers.

Lee Hyung-hoon, the Second Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, issued a letter to the Hospital Association and member hospitals. He emphasized that hospital leaders must recognize organizational culture as a critical management priority. Key recommendations include establishing a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, strengthening mentoring and education systems for new medical staff, and creating safe environments for reporting and counseling.

The Ministry also urged management to monitor psychological warning signs among staff to prevent self-harm or suicide. In response, the government has promised to develop practical improvement measures, including support for organizational culture diagnosis, enhanced counseling systems, and potential support for dedicated educational personnel to reduce the burden on hospital staff.