[Photo] Seoul court recommends SNU doctor pay reparations to dead farmer’s family

The Seoul Central District Court has recommended that Paek Sun-ha, a doctor at Seoul National University, pay reparations to the family of Baek Nam-ki, a farmer who passed away after being in a coma for 10 months. Baek was protesting the Park Geun-hye administration in 2015 when a police water cannon knocked him unconscious. Paek, the doctor in charge of Baek’s treatment, categorized Paek’s death as resulting from “natural illness” as opposed to external trauma. The court pronounced that Paek had neglected his ethical duty as a physician, recommending he and the hospital pay 54 million won (US$46,021) to Baek’s family. The photo shows a drawing of Baek hung outside Myeongdong Cathedral during his funeral on Nov. 5, 2016. (Shin So-young, staff photographer)