Lee Guk-jong () is a South Korean doctor. As a surgeon specializing in trauma, he is South Korea's leading authority in the treatment of trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and gunshot wounds. He won "The Person Who Brightened the World" award in November 2017. Lee Guk-jong leads the trauma surgery team at Ajou University Hospital.
Personal life
Lee Guk-jong was born in Gangseo-gu, Seoul in 1969. His father was a disabled Korean War veteran. As a child, Guk-jong's family was so poor that they had to subsist on government food rations. Due to the negative social views in Korea surrounding disabled veterans, he hid the fact that he was a son of national merit until middle school.
Young Guk-jong went to the hospital with a medical welfare card given to the people of national merit, but often got rejected for being unremunerative. He had to walk a long way because there were no big hospitals near his home. He decided that he would treat people better when he grew up.
However, one hospital, Kim Hak-san Surgery, treated Lee Guk-jong the same as a regular patient. The doctor of the hospital refused to charge Guk-jong and would often give him pocket money.
Career
Graduated from Ajou University College of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine degree from Ajou University Graduate School of Medicine. Surgical Research Instructor of Ajou University Medical College Training at the University of California, San Diego, USA Full-time lecturer in the emergency medical class at Ajou University Medical College Trainingat The Royal London Hospital Trauma Center, UK A director of the Regional Trauma Center at Ajou University Hospital Head of Ajou University Medical Center's Trauma Research Institute Professor of Surgery and Emergency Medical Classes at Ajou University Medical School
Treatment of Captain Seok Hae-gyun during Operation Dawn of Gulf of Aden
In January 2011, the Samho Jewelry of Korea's Samho Shipping Co. was hijacked by Somali pirates. Republic of Korea UDT/SEALs were sent to retake the boat and wipe out the pirates. During the operation, Captain Seok Hae-gyun was seriously wounded by six AK gunshots to his abdomen and limbs. He underwent surgery at Oman University Hospital, but soon fell into critical condition. After news got back to Korea, professor Guk-jong was immediately dispatched to Oman. After checking Hae-gyun's condition, he made the judgement that Hae-gyun would die if left in Oman and insisted on escorting Captain Seok back to Korea using an air ambulance.
However, the air ambulance intended to be used for the evacuation cost about US $380,000 to rent. As the Korean government stalled in providing payment, Guk-jong stated that he would pay for the rent, and that they needed to transfer him immediately. The situation was settled with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs eventually agreeing to pay for the expenses. After transferring Captain Seok to South Korea, Lee Guk-jong successfully conducted surgery on him. After the recovery of Captain Seok, both Seok and Guk-jong received medals for the incident, bringing Guk-jong and Ajou University Hospital national recognition.
2017 North Korean soldier shooting in Panmunjom
On November 13, 2017, Oh Chong-song, a North Korean soldier, crossed the Military Demarcation Line and attempted to defect to South Korea at one of the North Korean guard posts in the Joint Security Area of Panmunjom. He was shot five times by other North Korean soldiers pursuing him. The soldier who defected to South Korea was seriously wounded and was rushed to Ajou University Hospital in a state of unconsciousness. Lee Guk-jong was in charge of emergency surgery for the soldier, and after several operations, the soldier regained consciousness.
In a press briefing, Professor Lee Guk-jong stated, "A large number of parasites, which are rare in the South Korean people's bodies, have been found in the bodies of soldiers of North Korea, and are having difficulty treating them as parasites have invaded at the wound." Hong Sung-tae, a professor at the Seoul National University School of Medicine, stated, "There are a lot of roundworms in North Korea. A North Korean soldier is said to have hurt his small intestine, which is where the roundworms live in.