Shocking Conditions in Psychiatric Hospitals Exposed by Human Rights Probe

Our investigation at Hankyoreh has uncovered deeply disturbing realities within South Korea's psychiatric hospitals, prompting shock and concern among human rights advocates and the public. President Lee Jae-myung's recent remarks on the nation's high suicide rate, ranking first among OECD countries for over two decades, underscore the critical need for effective mental healthcare. However, the very institutions meant to provide this care are implicated in widespread abuse, including the prolonged and often undocumented use of physical restraint and seclusion.

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It's not right that it's this high. There's no greater disgrace in the world.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), through its dedicated investigators like Kwon Mi-jin, has been at the forefront of exposing these issues. Kwon, who has visited nearly 100 psychiatric facilities over eight years, shared her experiences during a recent forum on the physical environment of psychiatric hospitals. Her work, including joint investigations with the Ministry of Health and Welfare into facilities like Ulsan Banguidae Hospital, has brought to light cases of patients being restrained for over 252 hours and multiple deaths occurring over five years in some institutions. These findings, though reported, have yet to garner significant public attention or drive substantial policy change.

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The research team fell into a state of shock after directly observing some psychiatric hospitals and couldn't sleep for a week.

The closed nature of psychiatric wards makes oversight challenging. Even medical professionals working in better-equipped facilities rarely witness the conditions in more troubled institutions. This lack of transparency extends to policymakers, who have limited direct exposure to the realities on the ground. The NHRC's initiative to study and improve the physical environment of these hospitals, spearheaded by Kwon, is therefore crucial. A recent research project involving medical, legal, and architectural experts visited 27 psychiatric hospitals in South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan, concluding that factors like overcrowding and barred windows create environments more frightening than the illnesses they treat.

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High spatial density and barred windows are more frightening than illness.

While there are signs of change, such as a perceived reduction in the use of restraint following media reports and increased patient and family inquiries about these practices, the problem persists. Cases of patients being secluded for arbitrary reasons or for extended periods, like the 2282 hours at Ulsan Banguidae Hospital, continue to surface. The legal framework, which allows doctors to be exempt from responsibility if restraint is deemed a therapeutic measure, facilitates the easy restriction of patients' freedom without rigorous evaluation. This systemic issue, coupled with the inadequate physical conditions, demands immediate and comprehensive reform to ensure patient rights and improve the quality of mental healthcare in South Korea.

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In my view, it has decreased somewhat. Of course, there are still hospitals that conceal it by not leaving records.