Swedish man dies in South Korea after being denied urgent treatment at 21 hospitals

A Swedish national suffering from necrosis died in South Korea due to sepsis after being denied urgent medical treatment by 21 hospitals.

The individual, 64, suffered from a severe case of necrosis that required immediate medical intervention when he was handed over to South Korean police by the Embassy of Sweden in Seoul in December, according to reports in local media.

In an exclusive interview with the Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo, Aron Park, the police lieutenant who cared for the Swedish man, said it took rejections by 21 hospitals in the country’s capital to find one willing to perform the surgery.

Hospitals were reportedly reluctant to treat the individual due to his foreign nationality, the high cost of surgery, and concerns over reimbursement for his medical care.

The newspaper also says the man’s sister, who lives in Sweden, declined to cover the expense. 

Eventually, Hyuksin Seongmo Hospital in North Chungcheong Province, 86 km away from Seoul, agreed to perform the surgery seven days after Park began calling hospitals.

The hospital’s foundation covered the remaining costs of an approximate total of €10,000 for the surgery after the Swedish Embassy contributed €5,340.

Park, who helped the Swedish national using a translation app, expressed gratitude to the hospital that "did not turn away from the socially disadvantaged".

The hospital also stated that its decision was influenced by its commitment to helping vulnerable individuals during the holiday season.

Despite a successful amputation, the patient’s severely weakened immune system led to complications.

He died of sepsis caused by pneumonia four days after the surgery on December 16, according to statements from the hospital shared with Hankook Ilbo.

The Swedish