KMA chief demands money in exchange for dropping defamation suit against member

A dispute has emerged surrounding Lim Hyun-taek, chair of South Korea's largest doctors' association, that he had alleged requested to be paid by a member doctor as a settlement for dropping a defamation lawsuit.

Local media outlets here reported that Korean Medical Association chief Lim had recently sought to file a defamation suit against the member, who had criticized him online. The member, who is public relations director of the Seoul Medical Association, sent Lim a written letter of apology as Lim had requested, but Lim told him that he would withdraw the complaint if the member deposited 100 million won ($72,300) in his account, pay it in installments or in cash with 50,000 won bills.

"The case will be closed if (I) submit a petition for no punishment. I can't do that for nothing, so please prepare what I've said," Lim said, in a recording of a phone conversation reported by TV Chosun. The recording made it clear that Lim had asked for the money, as the KMA member asked, "You mean the 100 million won?" to which Lim answered, "Yes, I'll send (the petition) as soon as you prepare it."

The KMA claimed that Lim had no intention of actually accepting the funds, and that his intent had been to respond strongly to slander against Lim. It said the punishment for defamation would have been around 500,000 won and that Lim had only made the demand to ensure that he would not have to submit a petition for no punishment.

But the recording showed that Lim had ordered a KMA staff member to reach out to the member in question on Tuesday, saying that the situation needed to be "settled" by this week.

According to the member, Lim told him that he would be submitted to a disciplinary committee unless he paid him the settlement, and that Lim would also pursue actions to revoke his medical license. He was also allegedly told by Lim that the KMA chief could "make his hospital go out of business."

Since he took the helm of the KMA -- representing about two-thirds of the country's doctors -- in May, Lim has been consistently reported to be a "hard-liner" in local press amid the ongoing standoff between the doctors and the government over the latter's push to hike the medical school admissions quota by 2,000 starting next year.