Doctors demand protective measures after knife attack on psychiatrist

South Korea's largest association of doctors on Thursday called for effective measures to protect the safety of medical staff, in light of the recent knife attack against a psychiatrist.

"The government and the National Assembly must diverge from the current method of ‘patching things’ up, focusing on punishment after the crime. They must set up safety measures so that medical circles will not be intimidated (by threats)," the Korean Medical Association said in a media briefing Thursday.

The group said that guaranteeing the safety of medical staff is crucial to protect the patients' right to be treated.

The Medical Service Act mandates security personnel and emergency alarms for medical institutions with 100 beds or more.

But the KMA notes it is virtually impossible to stop attacks unless the security is right next to the staff, calling for preventive measures such as using metal detectors to find dangerous objects.

A woman in her 50s is accused of launching a knife attack against a psychiatry professor at the Severance Hospital.

The suspect is believed to have injured the victim at around 4:35 p.m. on Wednesday, at the treatment room located on the fifth floor of the Seoul-based hospital. The attack inflicted non-critical injuries on the face and hands of the doctor, who received medical treatment.

She has been placed under emergency arrest since 4:42 p.m. Wednesday, which allows officers to hold her for up to 48 hours before the arrest warrant is issued.

Seoul Seodamun police Station planned to make the request to the Seoul Western District Prosecution Office for an official arrest warrant, which would authorize detention for up to 10 days by police and 20 days by the prosecution.

Officials are investigating the suspect for attempted murder. They initially arrested her for special bodily injury on another, but now believe that she intended to murder the victim based on her bringing the kitchen knife from home to the crime scene.

She claimed to the police that the victim "conspired with another hospital" to prevent her from being treated at another hospital. Police are checking the validity of this claim, and also whether she had been treated at the Severance Hospital in the past.