Doctor Gets Suspended Sentence Over Singer's Death

A celebrity doctor implicated in the death of singer Sin Hae-cheol has been found guilty of medical malpractice and given a two-year suspended sentence.

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The Seoul Eastern District Court on Friday said Kang Se-hoon performed stomach surgery without the singer's consent and in the process accidentally punctured his small intestine and pericardium, causing the peritonitis and blood poisoning that killed him in October of 2014.

Sin repeatedly complained of pain, but the hospital gave him only painkillers and let him go home just two days after surgery. He returned to the hospital twice more with a high fever and irregular heartbeat.

Two days later he suffered cardiac arrest and was rushed to the emergency room of a bigger hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy revealed that Sin had developed peritonitis and pericarditis due to the perforation caused during surgery.

Based on a probe by the National Forensic Service and testimony from the Korean Medical Association, the court ruled that the surgical procedure conducted by Kang was the cause of the perforation. The court also found the doctor guilty of negligence by failing to find out the exact cause of pain in the singer's stomach and chest and failing to inform the patient of his condition.

But the court took into account that Kang has no prior record of malpractice or negligence and that Sin ignored the doctor's advice to stay in hospital for 20 days.

Prosecutors sought a two-year prison term for Kang.

Sin's widow Yoon Won-hee said she feels the sentence is too lenient and may consider petitioning for an appeal.