Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, Chief Prosecutor’s Office.
“Chief Prosecutor, here are the morning briefing materials.”
An administrative officer placed the documents on the desk.
Jang Cheolmin nodded perfunctorily and skimmed through them. There were updates on major case handling, media response plans, and, at the very back, routine media monitoring results.
-Geumsan’s Miracle Doctor Nominated for WHO Innovative Medicine Award
-Korean Doctor Who Assisted Emergency Delivery at Geneva Traffic Accident Scene Draws Attention
-‘Saving Lives Is a Doctor’s Duty,’ He Says Humbly
Jang Cheolmin was reading the articles absently when he spotted the name “Kang Taeho (35, Geumsan Clinic)” and flinched.
‘No way… Is it that Kang Taeho?’
He read the article carefully once more. It was unmistakably the doctor who had performed his daughter’s surgery.
As Jang Cheolmin read on, he found it difficult to calm himself. The gap between the flood of praise-filled articles appearing day after day and the result of his daughter’s surgery two years ago left him confused.
‘If Kang Taeho is really that outstanding a doctor, then why on earth did Yuna’s surgery…?’
A question kept stirring in one corner of his mind.
Kim Jeonghun’s series of reports caught his eye.
-WHO Official: ‘Dr. Kang Taeho Highly Praised for Dedication and Expertise Shown in the Medical Field’
If it was reporter Kim Jeonghun, Jang Cheolmin had thought he would investigate properly and strip away the mask Kang Taeho was wearing. That was why he had given Kim Jeonghun a lead on Kang Taeho. But even he had completely turned to Kang Taeho’s side.
An orphan born in a mining town, who had made it all the way to Hanguk University College of Medicine on the strength of his brilliant mind alone.
And yet, despite being nothing more than a resident, he had performed Yuna’s craniotomy on the grounds that it was an emergency, and the result had been failure.
When Jang Cheolmin first looked into the incident, he had thought it was the result of an arrogant resident overreaching himself.
‘You can tell he grew up somewhere low.’
‘You can’t hide your nature. No matter how respectable he looks, ditch water is still ditch water.’
‘I thought he seemed gloomy somehow. I didn’t want to go near him.’
After the accident, his medical school classmates had all disparaged Kang Taeho in unison.
Thinking about it now, it was possible to guess that Kang Taeho had not fit in well with the other medical school classmates, most of whom came from wealthy families. What if they had been jealous of Kang Taeho’s exceptional ability all along?
In fact, when viewed objectively, Kang Taeho’s actions so far had been impressive.
In a rural village in Gangwon Province, he had exposed corruption by a waste disposal company and even established a research institute to treat villagers poisoned by heavy metals. When a landslide occurred, he had risked his life by rushing in and saved many people who had been buried.
And that was not all. He had gone to the United States and saved patients at a top American hospital, then suddenly crossed over to Africa and saved a politically significant African leader.
Domestically and abroad alike, he was carrying out astonishing medical feats in every direction.
Without realizing it, Jang Cheolmin muttered.
“Am I… missing something?”
Could it be that he had judged emotionally?
Had he really been right to conclude that it was a medical accident?
***
National Assembly Members’ Office Building, Assemblywoman Han Miyeong’s office.
“So what exactly do you mean by saying that now?”
Han Miyeong’s voice was calm, but strength entered the hand gripping her pen. Her husband Jang Cheolmin’s words were testing her patience.
“It seems you’ve forgotten where our Yuna is right now. I have never forgotten for even a single moment. Even at this very moment, our Yuna is… lying alone in a dark hospital room!”
Han Miyeong set down her phone as if throwing it.
Was her husband growing old now too? In his prime, he had been like a keen blade, and yet he had become so soft…
After Yuna fell into a vegetative state two years ago, a huge hole opened in Han Miyeong’s chest. That hole had never been filled, not when she slept, not when she ate, not when she worked. No matter how warm and peaceful the day was, an icy north wind raged inside that hole.
The young doctor who had done that to Yuna.
She had thought he would never be able to rise again, but he had somehow come back to life. No, he had not merely come back to life—he was going from strength to strength.
Han Miyeong could not just stand by and let that happen.
Our Yuna is still dying day by day…
She opened the file she had organized on her desk. Resumes of vice-minister-level officials at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, career analyses of key personnel at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and records of past cooperation with medical law experts were all systematically arranged.
A fourth-term National Assembly member and former judge.
The political instincts she had honed over the past twenty years in the judiciary and the legislature began to work.
Han Miyeong called her aide on the internal line.
“Aide Kim, schedule a meeting with the Minister of Health and Welfare.”
Her voice remained calm, but her expression was filled with venom.
***
At nine in the morning, two black official cars stopped in front of Geumsan Clinic.
“So this is the famous Geumsan Clinic?”
The middle-aged man who got out of the car, Lee Wonseok, director of the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Medical Audit Team, looked around. Contrary to what he had expected, it was the peaceful morning scene of a rural village.
“It’s quieter than I thought.”
The auditors who got out after him nodded in agreement. It even felt somewhat strange that the “miracle rural clinic” that had filled newspapers and broadcasts looked so ordinary.
“All right, let’s begin. The orders from above for this audit are strict, so leave no stone unturned.”
Lee Wonseok’s gaze turned sharp. The directive from his superiors was to find violations of medical law, no matter what.
The six members of the audit team headed toward the clinic entrance with briefcases in hand. At the clinic’s front door, Director Kang Taeho and his staff were already waiting.
“Good morning. I’m Kang Taeho, director of Geumsan Clinic.”
“I’m Team Leader Lee Wonseok of the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Medical Audit Team. We ask for your cooperation with this audit.”
“Of course. We have prepared all the materials you may need.”
Taeho’s attitude was unexpectedly calm and confident.
“We’ll begin by checking the medical records.”
“Yes, I’ll show you this way.”
The audit began in a separately prepared review room.
“We’ll first check the medical records and emergency response details for major cases over the past three months.”
“Here they are.”
The auditors’ eyes widened for a moment when they saw the materials Taeho handed over.
“This is… all written by you personally, correct? It’s extremely detailed.”
“Yes. I keep them in parallel with the electronic medical records.”
The patient’s condition, treatment method, outcome, and even the patient’s reactions were recorded perfectly.
“Records this thorough are rare. This is on an entirely different level from other clinics, isn’t it?”
“Thank you. I’ve organized them in the same way since the clinic opened.”
From the records of Gu Yongsan, his first patient, to those of recent patients, Taeho presented consistent documentation.
“Wow, this is truly exemplary.”
One auditor clicked his tongue in admiration.
“We’ll also check the licensing status of the medical staff.”
Taeho handed over the materials he had prepared in advance. Every employee’s license and related documentation were organized without a single gap.
“There have been a lot of media reports recently. Have you ever advertised separately?”
Taeho smiled and said,
“We have never advertised even once. All reports were the result of voluntary coverage by reporters, and we have prepared everything from interview requests to fact-checking records and correction request details.”
The materials were prepared to perfection.
Once again, the auditors were left speechless.
“Then let’s take a look at the medical equipment management status.”
“Yes, I’ll guide you to the equipment room.”
When the auditors moved to the equipment room, they were flustered by the facilities, which were far better than expected. Even if the clinic had received permission long ago to operate expensive equipment such as CT scanners as a clinic-level institution, the equipment at Geumsan Clinic was modern and high-performance. On top of that, the devices were maintained perfectly, and the equipment inspection records were systematically kept.
“Is this really a rural clinic?”
“This is university hospital-level management.”
“It’s equipment that deals with patients’ lives, so of course.”
At Taeho’s composed words, the auditors could only nod.
“Lastly, we’ll check the financial management.”
Nurse Park Geumja handed over the prepared ledgers. Every item of income, expenditure, tax payment, and donation spending was perfectly organized.
“Donations?”
“Expenses related to free house-call treatment for low-income patients.”
A groan escaped the auditors’ mouths. They realized that although people said there was no place without dust when shaken, this place had nothing to criticize at all.
At five in the afternoon, the long audit came to an end.
The auditors gathered around Team Leader Lee Wonseok.
“Team Leader, there really isn’t a single problem.”
“It’s that perfect? Truly not one?”
“None. If anything, it’s a model case. At this level, even giving them a commendation wouldn’t be enough.”
Team Leader Lee Wonseok fell into deep thought with a troubled expression. Contrary to the strict instructions from above, in reality he could not find even the slightest gap.
“How am I supposed to report this?”
Bewilderment appeared on his face.
The audit of Geumsan Clinic ended like that, for the time being.
On the way back to Seoul, Team Leader Lee Wonseok was in a complicated state of mind.
“Strange. This is really strange.”
“What’s strange?”
“It’s too perfect. As if they knew we were coming and prepared in advance.”
“But they said they’ve done it the same way since the clinic opened.”
“That’s what makes it even stranger. Does it make sense to do things this perfectly from the beginning? It feels like they knew we were coming and were sitting there waiting for us.”
Silence flowed through the car.
The auditors, too, had never seen records this perfect before, so they could not readily refute their team leader’s words.
***
After the audit team withdrew, Taeho held a staff dinner with his employees at a restaurant near the clinic. In the reserved private room, stir-fried squid and pork belly were laid out generously.
Nursing assistant Park Yeonu lifted her soju glass and exclaimed in admiration.
“Director, how on earth did you do it? You saw the auditors’ faces, right? They were completely dazed.”
“Exactly, especially the way they were startled when they saw the medical records. I felt so relieved too.”
Nursing assistant Park Yeonji laughed and agreed.
“But Director, how did you prepare so perfectly? Judging by the fact that even the audit team leader came, they clearly came determined to find something, but it was as if you knew in advance when an audit would happen.”
Nurse Park Geumja tilted her head and asked.
Taeho smiled faintly and said,
“Actually, I expected it to some extent.”
“What?”
The staff all looked at Taeho at once.
“Originally, once you become famous, it’s natural for an audit to come.”
“Ah… I see.”
The staff nodded as if that made sense.
Taeho recalled the time he met reporter Kim Jeonghun at Deoksan Beach two weeks earlier.
When Yuna’s name came from Kim Jeonghun’s mouth, Taeho felt his heart sink.
‘Director, do you happen to remember a child named Jang Yuna?’
‘Did something happen to Yuna?’
‘No. She’s still in the same condition. But I was wondering if you knew who that child’s parents are.’
Taeho knew why such a harsh compensation amount had been awarded in the civil lawsuit over the medical accident. It had been fortunate enough that he was found not guilty in the criminal trial.
‘That her father is a chief prosecutor and her mother is a National Assembly member?’
‘…’
Kim Jeonghun said nothing more, simply drank his beer, and left.
Taeho realized that Kim Jeonghun had come to warn him. His outstanding intuition had been judging Kim Jeonghun’s attitude, voice, and even his breathing.
That was why he had organized the documents in preparation not only for a Ministry of Health and Welfare audit, but also a tax investigation, an Environmental Office inspection, and a Labor Office inspection. It did not take long. Taeho was already the type to keep meticulous records, and for any parts that might be missing, he restored them mainly from the data remaining in Rema.
However, this incident changed Taeho’s thinking a little as well.
Yuna’s parents were indeed powerful figures, but even if they had not been, Yuna had always been a painful sore spot for Taeho.
To set Yuna’s matter right through this opportunity.
That was Taeho’s plan.