Historical drama actor Mr. Park has been accused of neglecting his dementia-stricken mother in a nursing home.
On the 17th, SBS's 'Curious Story Y' aired a story about a grandmother who could not leave a nursing home that was about to close.
Grandmother Choi Soon-nam (pseudonym), who remained in the nursing home that decided to close due to financial difficulties earlier this year, introduced herself by saying, "I was in the teaching profession when I was young."
Grandmother Choi, who suffers from short-term dementia, had not paid her nursing fees for over a year and had not been in contact with her family since last autumn.
In response, the nursing home director stated, "We cannot discharge her without the guardian's consent," adding, "It's not about the money. If it were about the money, we wouldn't have cared for her to the point of being 13 million won in arrears. The issue is her living situation."
Grandmother Choi said her son, Mr. Park, is in the United States, but the recent search history on the grandmother's mobile phone, which was used by her son, showed that he had accessed locations in Korea, not the United States.
Mr. Park debuted as a public talent in the early 1980s and has been active in both film and television. He started a second chapter in life as a restaurant entrepreneur, but after his business failed, he ended up with a large amount of debt.
When the production team got in touch with Mr. Park, he said, "Isn't there a debt to the nursing home? I couldn't contact you because I was looking for ways to resolve that by any means," and added, "I am currently suffering from panic disorder and depression, so I can't communicate with people."
He denied the neglect allegations, stating, "Although the situation has turned out badly, I will repay my mother a certain amount each month since it is my debt."
The grandmother has now moved to a new home. A representative from the senior protection agency stated, "We plan to reissue her bankbook so that her public pension can be deposited there, and after determining whether there was abuse, we will proceed with a police investigation."
Lawyer Lee In-cheol commented on Mr. Park's actions, saying, "The Civil Code imposes a duty of support. There is an obligation to care for family members," and added, "I found case law indicating that if someone is sent to a nursing home and there is no contact or payment for treatment, resulting in complete neglect, there have been cases of criminal punishment."
