A male professor of pulmonary and critical care at Asan Medical Center (AMC), one of Korea’s top tertiary hospitals, has been accused of sexually molesting more than 10 female hospital staffers including residents and nurses, Joongang Ilbo first reported on Friday. 

The hospital did not disclose the name of the professor but said it was investigating the case and preparing a disciplinary measure against him. 

According to AMC, the hospital in late January received a sexual harassment report from internal staffers that the professor working at the pulmonary department was sexually harassing them. Being informed of such a case, the hospital suspended him from clinical practice under the hospital’s manual, AMC said.

Over 10 employees including residents and nurses who worked with him complained of damage by the professor’s physical and verbal harassment. 

The professor’s sexual molestation included touching a resident’s chest saying he was teaching how to do an echocardiogram and wrapping his arms around a resident’s waist, the news report said. 

One of the victims told Joongang Ilbo that she would pursue both criminal and civil lawsuits against the professor if the hospital’s disciplinary measures were insufficient. 

An official at AMC told Korea Biomedical Review that the hospital would hold a personnel committee soon and decide whether to take disciplinary action. 

“We are thoroughly investigating what should not have happened,” he said.