Allegations of Elder Abuse at Kim Geon-hee's Family Nursing Home
Allegations of elder abuse have emerged regarding "On Nursing Home," located in Namyangju, operated by the family of Kim Geon-hee.
This nursing home is represented by Kim Geon-hee's biological brother, while the practical management is overseen by their mother, Choi Eun-soon.
On the 24th, Democratic Party lawmaker Jeon Jin-sook held a press conference at the National Assembly's communication office, urging a swift investigation by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Health Insurance Service into the "On Nursing Home" managed by Kim Geon-hee's family.
Lawmaker Jeon criticized, “Choi Eun-soon, the mother-in-law of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, has been profiting from an illegal hospital and has now extended her reach to a nursing home, putting the lives and safety of the elderly at risk. A thorough investigation into the unethical and irrational profit-seeking of Kim Geon-hee’s family is necessary.”
Quoting a report from "Seoul’s Voice," Jeon continued, “The nursing home distributed a single banana to 16 elderly residents and routinely committed serious elder abuse, such as failing to take sick residents to the hospital and practicing restraint and emotional abuse.” She also noted that the nursing home was previously rated poorly in waste management during the 2021 evaluation by the Health Insurance Service.
A former employee of the nursing home testified to "Seoul's Voice," saying, "(When an elderly resident) asked, 'Why are my limbs tied?', they replied, 'My daughter said to tie them up,' and proceeded to restrain the limbs."
Lawmaker Jeon added, “There have been two formal reports of suspected elder abuse in 2018 and 2021, but there was likely more unreported abuse occurring on the ground.”
Jeon further stated, “From 2017 to February of this year, approximately 9.7 billion won in health insurance payments were provided to the nursing home. We need a prompt investigation to determine whether the food costs and caregiving services that should rightfully be provided to the elderly have been filling Kim Geon-hee’s coffers.”
On the same day, Jeon also wrote on her Facebook, “It is very suspicious that no sanctions have been imposed on Kim Geon-hee’s family despite the horrific abuse continuing,” adding, “As a member of the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee, I will not let this matter go unaddressed.”
Image source: Kim Geon-hee / News1, Youtube 'Seoul's Voice voiceofseoul', March 11th, Jeon Jin-sook of the Democratic Party conducts a haircut ceremony in front of the main building of the National Assembly to demand the early impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol. / News1
