South Korean judicial rulings on military and medical issues

South Korean courts have issued several rulings involving military administration and medical responsibilities.

In military-related litigation, the Seoul Administrative Court dismissed two lawsuits. One case involved a former Air Force soldier challenging a disciplinary order for inappropriate remarks toward a superior; the court ruled the plaintiff lacked legal interest due to his prior discharge. A second case involved medical residents who resigned due to government medical school expansion policies. They challenged their classification as ‘non-selected active duty personnel,’ but the court ruled the Ministry of National Defense’s notification to the Military Manpower Administration was an internal administrative action that did not directly alter their legal rights.

In medical-related litigation, the Gwangju District Court ordered a hospital to compensate a family after a cardiovascular procedure death, citing a violation of the patient’s right to self-determination because risks were explained to a guardian rather than the capable patient. Additionally, the Supreme Court upheld sanctions against a hospital in Daegu for refusing emergency treatment to a teenager. The court rejected the hospital’s claim that staff were occupied, ruling that specialists could have provided care and that selective refusal without cause undermines the Emergency Medical Service Act.