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🇰🇷 South Korea /Health & Science

Who cares for the caregivers? South Korea's healthcare workers face emotional toll

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Opinion Named sources Context piece
  • Recent deaths of hospital workers in South Korea, allegedly due to workplace bullying, highlight a systemic issue of emotional suppression and moral injury within the healthcare sector.
  • Healthcare professionals often internalize blame, believing they are too sensitive or incapable, leading to silence and isolation instead of seeking help.
  • The article argues that the problem extends beyond individual incidents, pointing to organizational culture, lack of support, and a societal emphasis on endurance over care as root causes.
  • It calls for a societal shift from prioritizing endurance to fostering a culture where seeking help is normalized and support systems are robust.

Recent tragic deaths of hospital workers in South Korea, reportedly linked to workplace bullying, have brought to light a critical issue: the emotional toll and moral injury experienced by those in caring professions. A 20-something nurse who reported workplace harassment died by suicide, and a contract radiologist was found dead shortly after starting a new position, with allegations of workplace bullying in both cases.

As a psychological counselor, the author notes that these deaths are not sudden impulses but often the culmination of prolonged suffering, including repeated humiliation, silence, helplessness, and isolation. Instead of blaming their environment, victims frequently blame themselves, questioning their own sensitivity or competence. This self-doubt is a profound wound inflicted by harassment, eroding their belief in their own existence before causing physical harm.

I think I'm too sensitive.

— Unnamed healthcare workerA common phrase heard by counselors from individuals struggling with workplace issues, indicating self-blame.

While hospitals are spaces for healing, they paradoxically become environments where emotions are easily suppressed. The pressure to prioritize patient lives, coupled with understaffing, hierarchical structures, and a zero-tolerance for mistakes, creates a culture where "enduring" is equated with capability. Many healthcare workers feel unable to express their struggles, believing they must endure as their seniors did or that speaking out will change nothing.

Everyone else is enduring, so I can't say I'm having a hard time.

— Unnamed healthcare workerReflecting the pressure within healthcare organizations to suppress personal struggles.

The author identifies "compassion fatigue," "vicarious trauma," and "moral injury" as deeper emotions than mere burnout. Moral injury occurs when individuals repeatedly face conflicts between their deeply held values and the harsh realities of their work, such as witnessing bullying but remaining silent due to organizational culture or feeling unable to adequately care for patients due to systemic constraints. This injury is more profound and lasting than burnout.

The article challenges the common question of "Why didn't they report sooner?" Instead, it asks, "Why couldn't they speak out?" It posits that when individuals lose faith in their voices being heard within an organization, they choose silence as a survival adaptation, not consent. The fear of abandonment, the feeling that no one will protect them, leads to deeper collapse than direct attacks. This isolation is not limited to healthcare workers but is also experienced by social workers, activists, teachers, and counselors – anyone in a caregiving role who postpones their own well-being.

When the belief that one's voice will be heard within the organization disappears, people choose silence over seeking help.

— Yoo Geum-bunExplaining the psychological reasons behind why victims of harassment remain silent.

The author concludes that the pain experienced in counseling rooms is not merely personal but reflects broader societal issues. The emphasis on endurance over recovery, sacrifice over care, and the glorification of those who "hold on" rather than those who seek help, has created a culture that harms its caregivers. The deaths of hospital workers are not isolated incidents but a symptom of a society that needs to foster environments where seeking help is a norm, not an act of courage, and where caring for others does not necessitate self-sacrifice.

We have taught ourselves for too long that endurance is a virtue over recovery, and sacrifice over care.

— Yoo Geum-bunCritiquing societal values that prioritize stoicism and self-sacrifice in caregiving roles.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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