A temporary situation room set up at Chorok Kindergarten.
Epidemiological investigators dispatched by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency were reviewing the data with grave expressions.
“I simply don’t understand it.”
Kim Jaemin, head of the epidemiological investigation team, let out a deep sigh.
He was a veteran who had handled food poisoning cases for over twenty years.
Even for him, this was an unprecedented obstacle.
“Ordinary bacterial food poisoning takes at least thirty minutes, no matter how fast it is. Usually, symptoms don’t appear until more than two hours have passed.”
“That’s right.”
Investigator Lee Suhyeon nodded.
“But in this case, more than twenty children showed symptoms simultaneously just fifteen minutes after eating the school meal.”
From one side, microbiologist Park Junho, who had been checking the specimen analysis results, spoke with a troubled expression.
“We suspected chemical poisoning as well, but every possibility—heavy metals, pesticides, toxic substances—came back negative. The scale of damage is too large for it to be an allergic reaction, and the onset of symptoms was far too fast.”
Team Leader Kim Jaemin checked the situation report again and spoke in a heavy tone.
“Meal service began at 11:30 a.m., and the first symptoms appeared at 11:45. I can’t imagine what kind of pathogen could react this quickly.”
Just then, the door opened and Kang Taeho entered.
The investigators looked at him with tense gazes.
“Excuse me. I’m Director Kang Taeho of Geumsan Clinic. I’ve been providing temporary assistance at the request of the patients’ guardians and the faculty. I thought I might be of help, so I came in person.”
Team Leader Kim Jaemin rose and showed an awkward expression.
“This is an official investigation, so outside cooperation is a bit…”
“Wait a moment, Team Leader. This is Director Kang Taeho. He’s the one who treated the children and teacher affected by the food poisoning.”
Park Junho, who was beside him, hurriedly cut in.
“Ah, is that so? I didn’t recognize you. We’d be grateful for your help.”
Team Leader Kim Jaemin’s eyes widened, and he hurriedly bowed his head.
So this man was the famous WHO special advisor…
He knew the name, but Taeho was so young that he hadn’t realized they were the same person.
Taeho nodded calmly and said,
“The information I have may be the key to solving this case. I collected specimens while treating the children.”
When Taeho opened his tablet and pulled up the data, information on the pathogen appeared.
“Clostridium perfringens variant KG-2025. Average time to symptom onset is ten to fifteen minutes. Unlike existing strains, it is a new strain resistant to high temperatures.”
Park Junho asked in an excited tone,
“This strain isn’t in the domestic classification system yet, is it?”
“No, it isn’t. Based on my investigation, it partially matches the food poisoning bacteria from a cafeteria outbreak in Jakarta last year. The cases of acute onset within fifteen minutes after meals are similar as well.”
The atmosphere in the situation room changed in an instant. Everyone held their breath and stared at the tablet screen.
Team Leader Kim Jaemin asked calmly,
“Then has the source of this strain been identified?”
“Based on the cross-contamination analysis, it appears to have originated from poor management of refrigeration facilities. This variant’s toxin production accelerates rapidly when refrigeration temperatures are between ten and fifteen degrees Celsius.”
Taeho continued in a composed voice.
“That’s right. We need to investigate whether there were failures in the food supplier’s and the kindergarten’s refrigerators. With the number of children decreasing, there’s a high probability that management became lax.”
“This is clearly a man-made disaster. It’s not simple negligence—it’s practically at the level of abandonment.”
Team Leader Kim Jaemin said with a sigh.
Before long, Investigator Lee Suhyeon asked cautiously,
“Then is there a possibility that this new strain could occur elsewhere as well?”
Taeho spoke with a dark expression.
“For now, it’s a localized issue. But the bigger problem is that the environments where this kind of thing can happen are increasing. Unless the environment is fundamentally changed, more deadly variants will continue to appear in the future.”
In the heavy silence, everyone deeply agreed with Taeho’s words.
Budget shortages, aging facilities, poor personnel management—it was a comprehensive problem, and there was little room for easy improvement.
***
The epidemiological investigation by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency ended.
The head of the catering company and the director of Chorok Kindergarten were both undergoing intensive questioning.
Thanks to his discovery of the new food poisoning bacterial variant “KG-2025,” Taeho drew international attention, but his heart was heavy. The fundamental cause of this food poisoning incident lay in regional extinction.
After closing at Geumsan Clinic, he was organizing patient charts.
The news playing on the TV in the director’s office caught his attention.
—Samcheok Medical Center has ultimately decided to close. It was determined that continued operation was no longer possible due to chronic deficits and a shortage of medical staff…
Taeho picked up the remote and raised the volume.
—Currently, Samcheok Medical Center has only 68 of its 79 allotted staff positions filled, and even among them, 31 are public health doctors, making up the majority. There are only two internal medicine specialists and one surgical specialist, and pediatrics has already been shut down.
The screen showed residents protesting in front of Samcheok Medical Center.
—If the medical center disappears, Samcheok is finished!
—Where are emergency patients supposed to go?
The reporter’s voice continued.
—The Gangwon Provincial Council announced that it is reviewing a plan to merge Samcheok Medical Center with Gangneung Medical Center, but local residents are strongly opposing it. In particular, the death of a cardiac arrest patient near an abandoned mine last week, who could not receive treatment in time, has further fueled residents’ anger.
Just then, Nurse Park Geumja knocked and entered.
“Director, aren’t you going home?”
“Ah, Nurse Park, did you see the news about Samcheok Medical Center?”
Park Geumja’s face quickly turned serious.
“I heard. A friend of mine works there. She said only one nurse works in the emergency room at night, and there isn’t even an emergency medicine specialist at all.”
“Then what about emergency patients?”
“They have to go all the way to Chuncheon or Gangneung. It takes more than an hour.”
“I see. You should head home first.”
“Yes. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
After Park Geumja left, Taeho sat at his desk and fell deep into thought.
There was something he had realized through the food poisoning incident. Regional extinction was not simply a matter of a declining population. As medical care, education, and jobs disappeared one by one, the entire region collapsed.
“Rema.”
A hologram appeared before his eyes.
—How may I assist you, Taeho?
“Analyze the medical situation in the Samcheok area.”
—Analyzing Samcheok City medical status…
— Population: 68,000 (15% decrease over ten years)
— Number of hospital beds: 3.2 per 1,000 people (national average: 12.4)
— Number of specialists: 0.8 per 1,000 people (national average: 2.1)
— Emergency medical access: severe risk level
“It’s worse than I expected.”
—In particular, the proportion of the elderly population has exceeded 35%. Medical demand is increasing, while supply continues to decrease.
Taeho already knew the answer.
“Rema, you remember, don’t you? When we upgraded to Gold Level, I planned to build a larger hospital.”
—Yes, I remember.
“Do we need to construct a large-scale new building from the start?”
—What do you mean?
“What about utilizing the Samcheok Medical Center building? If it closes, it’ll become an empty building anyway.”
—I will analyze options for utilizing the existing building.
A 3D image of the current Samcheok Medical Center building appeared in the hologram.
—Samcheok Medical Center building analysis results
—Year built: 1995 (29 years elapsed)
—Total floor area: 15,000㎡ (5 floors above ground)
—Structure: reinforced concrete (remodeling possible)
—Basic infrastructure: medical electrical and plumbing facilities present
“How long would remodeling take?”
—Time required for full remodeling: 12 months
—Cost compared to new construction: 40% savings
—Greatest advantage: possible succession of medical institution permits and licenses
“Twelve months is too long. The local residents are suffering from a medical vacuum. We need to work around the clock and get government special exemptions to shorten the period.”
—If all processes are carried out in parallel and medical equipment installation is done simultaneously, opening the emergency center within six months is fully possible.
“Good.”
—However, there are limitations in scale. With the current building, a maximum of about 170 beds is possible, but if specialized as an emergency medical center, around 120 beds would be appropriate.
“120 beds is enough. For now, we need to focus on emergency care.”
The hologram changed again. Samcheok Medical Center had been transformed into an entirely new facility.
—Samcheok Emergency Medical Center (Remodeling Plan)
—1st floor: Emergency room, emergency operating rooms, radiology
—2nd floor: Intensive care unit (30 beds), coronary artery center
—3rd floor: Emergency ward (60 beds), recovery rooms
—4th floor: Operating rooms, specialized departments, general ward (30 beds)
—5th floor: Medical staff lounge, conference rooms, helipad
—Total number of beds: 120 beds (30 ICU + 90 general beds)
—Estimated employment: 350 people (direct), 700 people (indirect)
Taeho was already drawing up an execution plan in his mind. Acquisition of the medical center, remodeling design, recruitment of medical staff…
“Rema, what is the success probability of this method?”
—Utilizing the existing building significantly lowers the risk.
—Success probability: 92.1%
—In particular, rehiring the existing medical staff will make it possible to gain the support of local residents.
Taeho nodded.
“I should go see Samcheok Medical Center myself tomorrow.”
***
The next morning, Taeho and Gihwan departed from Geumsan Clinic.
It was about a forty-minute drive to downtown Samcheok.
As Gihwan took the wheel, he spoke cautiously.
“It seems you’ve made a truly big decision, Director. This can’t be easy.”
The beautiful mountains of Gangwon-do swept past outside the window. But here and there, empty houses and shuttered shops stood out.
“What do you plan to do about operating Geumsan Clinic?”
“I plan to run both for the time being. I’ll be hiring a deputy director soon as well, so there shouldn’t be any concerns.”
After pondering for a moment, Gihwan asked,
“But the scale of investment must be considerable. Will you be all right financially?”
“Geumsan Clinic’s revenue is stable, and I’m already planning to recruit additional investors.”
“As expected, Director, you have everything planned. This project isn’t just a hospital—it’s a business that could save the entire region. I will support you fully in whatever way I can.”
Gihwan seemed even more excited than Taeho and chattered on for quite some time until they arrived.
In front of Samcheok Medical Center.
A large banner reading “Scheduled for Closure” was hanging, and a few citizens holding picket signs that said “Oppose Closure” sat there listlessly. No matter how much they protested, there was nothing they could do. Deep resignation had already settled over their faces.
“Director, look over there.”
Gihwan pointed at the emergency room entrance.
A notice reading “Nighttime Emergency Room Operations Suspended” was posted at the entrance.
Taeho nodded with a heavy heart.
“They’re short of doctors even during the day, so at night they can’t operate at all.”
Taeho and Gihwan entered the emergency room.
A nurse in her fifties was working alone.
“Excuse me. Where is Department Head Yu Sihyeok?”
“He’s in the OR right now.”
“When will he be finished?”
“I’m not sure. His schedule is fully booked. They aren’t major cases, but minor ops keep coming up.”
The nurse spoke as if troubled.
Not long ago, Department Head Yu Sihyeok had said he was so busy these days he didn’t even have time to eat, and he hadn’t been exaggerating.
Taeho inspected the equipment and facilities, but all he could confirm was that the shortage of operating personnel was even more serious.
Just then, the sound of a siren rapidly approached the emergency room.
When Taeho hurried over, a man in his sixties was brought out of the ambulance unconscious on a stretcher.
His family members were wailing as if screaming in despair.
“He’s a patient suspected of myocardial infarction!”
At the urgent voice of the 119 paramedic, the nurse panicked.
“All the doctors are away from their posts right now. The anesthesiologist resigned recently, too…”
“If we transfer him to Chuncheon or Gangneung, it will take at least an hour. His condition is extremely critical!”
“I’m a doctor. I’ll examine the patient.”
The nurse looked back at Taeho with startled eyes, then her mouth fell open.
“Are you, by any chance, the—the Director Kang Taeho I saw on TV…?”