A 64-year-old Swedish man died in South Korea after being denied urgent medical treatment by 21 hospitals. The individual, suffering from necrosis, passed away from sepsis after complications arose following a delayed surgery.
The Swedish national was handed over to South Korean police by the Swedish Embassy in Seoul in December 2024. Reports from local media indicate that the man’s severe necrosis required immediate medical intervention, but he faced repeated rejections from hospitals due to his foreign nationality, high surgery costs, and concerns over payment for his care.
Aron Park, a police lieutenant who assisted the Swedish man, spoke to the Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo in an exclusive interview. Park revealed that it took a week of calling hospitals before one, Hyuksin Seongmo Hospital in North Chungcheong Province, agreed to perform the necessary surgery. Located 86 km from Seoul, the hospital eventually accepted the patient after extensive efforts.
The cost of the surgery was approximately €10,000, with the Swedish Embassy contributing €5,340. The remainder was covered by the hospital’s foundation. Park expressed gratitude to the hospital for its decision, praising their compassion for a vulnerable individual during the holiday season.
Despite the successful amputation, the man’s weakened immune system led to severe complications. He died from sepsis caused by pneumonia four days after the surgery, on December 16, 2024.
The Swedish national had entered South Korea in April 2024 on a visa-free tourist status. In a separate legal matter, he was indicted for drug possession but acquitted in his first trial. The court ruled that his involvement was unintentional, related to mental illness. His case was under appeal at the time of his death.
The Swedish Embassy in Seoul had requested protection for the man in December, as he was in a vulnerable state due to his mental health. According to the Korean Act on the Performance of Duties by Police Officers, police are permitted to escort individuals in need of emergency care to medical facilities if they are unable to protect themselves, such as in cases of mental derangement or severe intoxication.
Efforts by Euronews Health to reach the Swedish Embassy, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the hospital, and Korean police for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
This tragic incident has raised questions about the accessibility of medical care for foreign nationals in South Korea, particularly for those in vulnerable circumstances.
