• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.435-459
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• 2014

Supreme Court of Korea has been mitigating the burden of proof on the malpractice and causal relation by a patient in accordance with the practical transfer of such burden of proof on causal relation as well as relieving a doctor's burden of proof on mistake in the civil damage claim suits on the malpractice. However, a prosecutor shall strictly prove the causal relation between malpractice and unfavorable results as well as a doctor's mistake in the criminal cases for making a doctor accept the professional negligence resulting in death or injury in accordance with In Dubio Pro Reo principles. Furthermore, it shall not be allowed to relieve the burden of proof on malpractice and causal relation which has been frequently applied in the civil proceedings. Nevertheless, it was widely known that the front-line courts accepted the malpractice and causal relation by quoting the legal principles on relieving the burden of proof on malpractice and causal relation applied in the civil cases even in criminal cases with no or insufficient proof on malpractice or causal relation. However, the latest precedents in Supreme Court explicitly declared the opinion that there was no reason to apply the legal principle to relieve the burden of proof on the malpractice and causal relation in the criminal cases requiring the proof 'which doesn't cause any reasonable doubt' on malpractice and causal relation in accordance with the legal principles 'favorable judgment for a defendant in case of any doubt' on the basis of the strict principle of 'nulla poena sine lege.' Accordingly, Supreme court definitely clarified that there would be no reason to relieve the burden of proof on malpractice and causal relation in criminal cases by reversing several original judgments accepting malpractice and causal relation even though there were no strict evidence.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.215-234
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• 2007

The mission of the doctors is to take care of human life, body and health through the medical behaviors such as diagnosis and treatment. Under this job propensity, the doctors have care duty to take the best actions required to prevent the risk according to the patients' specific disease status. Such care duty of the doctor may be evaluated based on the medical behavior level at the medical institution and clinical medical study field. Such medical level should be understood in the normative level, considering the treatment environment, condition and specialty of the behavior, because it means the medical common sense known and acknowledged to the normal doctors. While the criminal suit requires the evidence for no doubt conviction, the civil suit requires more eased different standard. The results between the criminal and civil sentence may be different, because the confirmed former case may lead to long-term imprisonment and even death penalty, while the latter case puts only monetary penalty on the defeated party.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.3-40
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• 2018

Conventionally, there were few cases in which a medical accident became a criminal case in Japan. However, after the serious malpractice such as the Yokohama City University Hospital case, prosecutors came to be less hesitant to prosecute a malpractice. In a medical accident, the attribution of the responsibilities among medical personnel becomes one important element of the proof of negligence. The Supreme Court concluded that, when the attribution of the responsibilities is not established among medical personnel to confirm the identity of the patient like the Yokohama City University Hospital case, all the personnel who were involved bear the responsibilities to identify the patient. For serious cases which requireut most carefulness fortreatment such as the Saitama Medical University Hospital case, not only the chief physician in charge of the case concerned but also the director of the branch at the university hospital bear the responsibilities to confirm the treatment policy of the case. After the acquittal of the Ohno Hospital case, the voice demanding more prudent prosecution of malpractices has become stronger than before. Meanwhile, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare introduced Medical Accidents Investigation System for the prevention of medical accident and, has reinforced the third party inspection of medical accidents.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.139-147
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• 2014

Medical disputes the problem that occurs essentially among the rapidly increasing of the demand for health care and the attention of the public health. The subject of dispute is mostly criminal penalties and civil redress due to a physician's medical malpractice, resolved by agreement was prioritized. They trying to solve through the litigation and exercise the skills. But, the lack of clear standards and related legislation make difficult to solve the problem. for this, "The Act of Medical Malpractice Damage's Relief and Mediation for Medical Dispute Resolution" (Medical Disputes Adjustment Act) was enacted in April 7, 2011 and performed in Apr. 8, 2012. To solve the problem autonomously between the parties. It is the legislative intent such as mediation or arbitration to solve the conflict between the parties. But there are some problems that examined from the perspective of constitutional review with the criminal and civil problems. Therefore, this paper will find out the legal issues about Medical Dispute Adjustment Act and the constitutional and civil issues. And want to expect to be prepared the more stable and efficient solution of medical disputes.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.113-142
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• 2018

In recent years, there have been opinions in which physicians are liable to the revocation of their medical license if they are sentenced to above a certain level for criminal charges regardless of the types of offenses. Accordingly, a revised bill of law was submitted in the National Assembly, and related discussions are thus expected to commence. Considering the morality and ethics or the level of the rule of law that the general public expects of physicians, as well as the license revocation system in other professional sectors, it is assessed that medical license revocation due to criminal convictions of physicians is appropriate to some degree. However, if a poorly devised system is established based on unrefined inferences or emotional judgements, unexpected side-effects are likely to arise. With regard to serious criminal acts that society generally perceives as unacceptable, it can be assessed that the revocation of physicians' licenses would appropriately protect the general public from threats. However, given the life-saving characteristics of high-risk medical practices, higher malpractice exposures, and social values, it is difficult to assess charges of professional negligence resulting in death(or in injury) and minor offences in the same manner as anti-social criminal offences are handled. Physicians need to be treated the same as any other professions. At the same time, they are engaged in administering medical treatment to patients in the face of great risks as professionals. Under the circumstances, a discussion on the introduction of a more specific and empirical system is needed by considering the intrinsic characteristics of medical treatment and the need for an equitable health and medical policy. Accordingly, based on the above judgment and perception, this study explores the code of ethics for physicians and medical license revocation related to criminal offences at home and abroad, and examines various legislative alternatives appropriate for the Republic of Korea. In doing so, the purpose of the study is to contribute to the development of a reasonable system for handling criminal offences by physicians.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.47-79
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• 2019

The Korean Society of Law and Medicine has faithfully played the role of professional academic organizations last 20 years in terms of academic activities, accumulated achievements, diversity, professionalism, and influence on academic circles. The Korean Society of Law and Medicine and the Journal of Medical Law serve as a platform for academic information and exchange of opinions on medical law. Medical law began in the midst of increasing conflicts and disputes caused by medical malpractice and the enactment and legal coercion of medical care as pressure on medical workers. It tried to find a way to coexist with each other through the encounter and convergence of medicine and law. Medical criminal law extends from traditional crimes in the realm of life and body protection to bioethics violations caused by the development of biomedical technology, corruption and economic crime in the medical field. Medical law has evolved into a comprehensive legal area dealing with legal issues raised in medical treatment, healthcare, bioethics, and life sciences technology. On the legal side, medical law is not independent legal areas. It is overlapping with traditional law areas such as civil law, administrative law, criminal law, social law, civil and criminal procedure law. However, it is now established as a convergence study in medicine, bioethics, life science, as well as in various fields of law. It has become an area where collaboration is needed with the field of law, medicine, ethics, sociology and economics. Medical criminal law has undergone a dynamic development over the last two decades. The development of medicine and medical technology provides new and innovative methods of diagnosis and treatment. The achievements and risks of revolutionary developments in biotechnology, genetic engineering and medicine coexist. While there is a dazzling achievement that mankind has hoped for: combating disease and improving health, it also creates unwanted side effects and risks to humans. There is a need to reconsider ethical and legal principles. The discovery and development of patient identity and autonomy has changed the medical doctor-patient relationship. Furthermore, it was complicated by the triangle relationship of patients, medical doctors and insurance. Legal matters are also complicated. This is why the necessity of legislation is emerging. Criminal punishment provisions are also required. The Medical Law and Biomedical Law are systematically and coherently deformed as mosaic-based legislation that takes place whenever there are social issues, citizens' needs, and medical organizations' interests, rather than sufficient enactment and revision procedures. It needs a complete overhaul, and this is possible through interdisciplinary collaboration which is the strength of The Korean Society of Law and Medicine.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.3-36
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• 2023

The main issue in medical malpractice civil litigation is medical negligence and the causal relationship between medical negligence and damages. Regarding the presumption of causality in cases where medical negligence is proven, there is a previous Supreme Court decision 93da52402 on February 10, 1995, but it is difficult to find a case that satisfies the textual requirements of the above decision, and yet, in practice, the above decision is cited. In many cases, causal relationships were assumed, and criticism was consistently raised that it was inconsistent with the text of the above judgment. In its ruling, the Supreme Court reorganized and presented a new legal principle regarding the presumption of causality when medical negligence is proven in a civil lawsuit. According to this, If the patient proves ① the existence of an act that is assessed as a medical negligence, that is, a violation of the duty of care required of an ordinary medical professional at the level of medical care practiced in the field of clinical medicine at the time of medical practice, and ② that the negligence is likely to cause damages to the patient, the burden of proving the causal relationship is alleviated by presuming a causal relationship between medical negligence and damage. Here, the probability of occurrence of damage does not need to be proven beyond doubt from a natural scientific or medical perspective, but if recognizing the causal relationship between the negligence and the damage does not comply with medical principles or if there is a vague possibility that the negligence will cause damage, causality cannot be considered proven. Meanwhile, even if a causal relationship between medical negligence and damage is presumed, the party that performed the medical treatment can overturn the presumption by proving that the patient's damage was not caused by medical negligence. Meanwhile, unlike civil cases, the standard is 'proof beyond reasonable doubt' in criminal cases, and the legal principle of presuming causality does not apply. Accordingly, in a criminal case of professional negligence manslaughter that was decided on the same day regarding the same medical accident, the case was overturned and remanded for not guilty due to lack of proof of a causal relationship between medical negligence and death. The above criminal ruling is a ruling that states that even if 'professional negligence' is recognized in a criminal case related to medical malpractice, the person should not be judged guilty if there is a lack of clear proof of 'causal relationship'.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.101-130
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• 2023

Korea has very easy access to tertiary hospitals, including university hospitals, among OECD countries, and patients can reach the emergency room of a university hospital within 1-2 hours. However, there are many so-called 'essential medical' blind spots where people die because they do not receive surgery in time. In particular, in the case of essential medical care in the surgical field, despite basic surgery, there is a shortage of medical staff to perform outpatient surgery in emergency situations at university hospitals. Although this lack of manpower has a problem with low insurance premiums for surgery, it also has a very large impact on the burden of criminal liability for medical malpractice, which increases the incidence in case of emergencies. Here, we propose crime immunity to solve the manpower shortage of converged smart surgical essential medical (SES) hospitals. Currently, the medical community agrees on the need for crime immunity, but it is an ambiguous scope of immunity that has not reached a national consensus. We would like to present clear standards for essential medical practices (surgery) that require criminal immunity.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.129-149
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• 2016

Medical dispute means the dispute between the hospital and the patient due to a medical accident. In general, medical accidents must be in accordance with the terms that are used in the medical dispute adjustment method stated in Article 2 (definition). In relation to this, there is a need to discuss an efficient operation scheme for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in medical disputes. In addition, it is necessary to look at issues of civil liability and criminal liability. In particular, in the consumer dispute arbitration committee, there is a case to make a "decision not to adjust" in aggressive intervention in the process of conflict resolution. The medical staff, on the basis of its "decision," can use this as a proven material for civil and criminal cases. This is rather upon the determination of the consumer council as a typical side effect to defend the user's perspective. This is the "decision" as was expressed from an order, "not adjusted." It is also determined to be easy and clearly timely. In the medical litigation, it is requesting the burden of proof of a patient's cause-and-effect relationship with the doctors committing negligence and medical malpractice. This seems to require the promotion of legislation in the direction to reduce future cases. It is determined that the burden of proof of medical accidents must be improved. The institution receiving the medical accident should prevent a closure report. Further, it is necessary to limit the transition to a franchise point. In this paper, we understand the problems of the current medical dispute resolution system, trying to establish a medical dispute resolution system desirable through an efficient alternative. In addition, it wants help in the protection and realization in medical consumers' and patients' rights. The relevant authorities will take advantage of these measures. After all, this could contribute to the system for a smooth resolution of a medical dispute.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.11-34
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• 2014

Promulgation of the medical practice rule without specific definition in Medical Law has brought about many constitutional issues. The major issue is that the law has the government punish unlicensed medical practice without defining what it is. Instead, the law chooses a license-centered structure of criminal punishment for medical malpractice, saying "no one can practice medicine without the government-approved license." This regulation violates the rule of "void for vagueness" based on the principle of "nulla poena nullum crimen sine lege." Judicial interpretation should be required for a citizen to understand the Medical Law provision intuitively. In addition, the law infringes upon the freedom of occupation of the unlicensed and the licensed who wish to extend his or her practice area for "holistic medicine." The central issue of the law is that it was established under no ground of professionalism even though medical practice has been understood professional. The government has centrally controlled the medical field for its needs. Lastly, the current law violates the right of medical selection of the consumers of medicine. Because patients have the right of health and life, they have to hold the latitude of selection for medical treatments. Especially, they should have an opportunity for considering the Complementary and Alternative Medicine if they want. But under the current rules, this medicine is not permitted. To correct those problems, a new provision for the definition of medical practice should be adopted at once.