Seoul investigators found 25 plastic-surgery and dermatology clinics violating medical-waste rules during inspections of facilities handling tissue, blood and other potentially hazardous material. The cases included clinics accused of sending blood or tissue fluids into sinks or toilets and keeping tissue waste at room temperature for months beyond permitted storage periods.
The findings matter because medical waste can expose workers, patients and the wider environment to biological hazards when disposal rules are ignored. They also show that the problem was spread across multiple clinics rather than confined to one facility.
Enforcement moves to district level
Seoul plans to pass the cases to district authorities for follow-up inspections and enforcement and to seek stronger guidance and training on medical-waste handling. The next step is whether those referrals produce corrective orders or penalties and whether clinics change storage and disposal practices before another inspection cycle.