Lee Jae-myung "Nurses Also Perform Medical Acts" vs Medical Community "Ignorant Talk" Medical Law Conflict 'Escalates'

Lee Jae-myung "Allow Nurses to Perform Minor Medical Procedures"
Some in the Medical Community "Fueling Doctor-Nurse Conflict", "Ignorant Remarks" Fiercely Criticized

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung is holding a press conference on the third relocation of public institutions in Gyeonggi Province at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of the 17th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, targeted the medical community, which has announced a total strike citing disruptions in vaccine administration due to the amendment of the Medical Service Act, by advocating for 'nurse vaccination' and saying, "Let nurses be allowed to perform minor medical acts." Some in the medical community have strongly opposed Lee's remarks, with some even resorting to harsh criticism, calling him "ignorant."

On the 23rd, Lee posted on his Facebook, "In a sovereign nation, anyone can assert their own interests, but as members of a community, there are laws that must not be broken and lines that must not be crossed. The Korean Medical Association (KMA) is abusing the privileges granted by the people for public health as a tool to gain unjust private benefits by threatening public lives," strongly criticizing the KMA.

He continued, "Currently, only doctors can administer COVID-19 vaccines under the law, but if the KMA's illegal strike materializes, the lives of 13.8 million Gyeonggi residents will be exposed to danger," adding, "We cannot give up on legitimate legislation due to the KMA's illegal and unfair threats. Therefore, alongside pursuing the suspension of medical licenses, please allow nurses and other qualified personnel to temporarily perform minor medical acts such as vaccinations or specimen collection in urgent cases."

On the morning of August 23 last year, resident doctors opposing the government's medical policy were waiting to take off their white coats in front of the main building of Seoul National University Hospital's university clinic in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In response, Lim Hyun-taek, President of the Korean Pediatric Society, harshly criticized on his Facebook on the 23rd, calling it "ignorant talk," and said, "Are you suggesting that nurses should be allowed to perform medical acts that can cause death from anaphylaxis in less than 30 minutes because they are minor?"

He also pointed out, "What bold nurse would risk going to jail and facing at least 400 to 500 million won in legal fees and compensation if a patient dies? The government says it will compensate, but does it cover civil damages as well?" He added, "Doctors naturally have exclusive rights to medical treatment because they provide it. Do you want unqualified people to provide medical care? If so, don't come to doctors; get treatment from civic groups."

He particularly said, "Are doctors such a bad group? What have politicians been doing all this time? The people and doctors are really patient and enduring, but in other countries, the public would have already grabbed politicians by the collar and dragged them out several times. This is truly a pathetic person. Maybe because he is mentioned as a presidential candidate, he has lost all sense."

There were also criticisms that Lee's remarks effectively "divide nurses and doctors." Kim Dong-seok, Chairman of the Korean Association of Private Practitioners, stated in an appeal that day, "Lee's call to allow nurses to administer vaccinations should stop immediately as it incites conflict between medical professions," adding, "Medical work scopes are clearly divided according to the Medical Service Act, National Health Insurance Act, and Pharmaceutical Affairs Act. Inciting conflict between doctors and nurses through a frame that violates the Medical Service Act will cause further social side effects."

Kim also questioned, "What does the 'line that must not be crossed' mentioned by Governor Lee mean? Despite continuous opinions from the medical community against the unconstitutional medical license revocation law, it passed the Health and Welfare Committee and is currently pending in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, which can be considered the final hurdle. It proceeded rapidly without listening to the reasonable opinions of medical professionals. I believe this is not a line that must not be crossed but rather the last card that 130,000 doctors, cornered as they are, can choose."

Jeonju City, Jeollabuk-do, is conducting a COVID-19 vaccine inoculation simulation training at the Pyeonghwa Health Center on the 23rd in collaboration with Wansan Fire Station.

The medical community holds the position that the amendment to the Medical Service Act could cause severe obstacles to doctors' activities. The Korean Medical Association (KMA) issued a statement on the 20th in the name of the presidents of city and provincial medical associations nationwide, labeling the amendment as a so-called "license confiscation law," emphasizing that "(if the bill) passes the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, it will cause significant obstacles to COVID-19 response."

They warned, "We will engage in a nationwide doctors' strike and full-scale struggle," adding, "This will cause extreme resentment among the KMA's 130,000 members who protect public health and lives through COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment support, and vaccination cooperation, thereby causing major obstacles to COVID-19 response."

Meanwhile, the KMA is showing signs of proposing a revised bill. The revision would allow revocation of medical licenses if doctors commit violent crimes such as murder, robbery, or sexual assault. However, for crimes other than violent crimes, even if sentenced to imprisonment or higher, medical licenses would not be revoked.

Earlier, on the 19th, the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee held a plenary session and passed the amendment to the Medical Service Act. The key points include revoking licenses for doctors sentenced to imprisonment or higher for five years.

Additionally, those who commit sexual crimes against minors will be prohibited from obtaining medical licenses, and if medical professionals commit such crimes, their licenses will be revoked and permanently stripped. However, if a medical professional commits a crime such as involuntary manslaughter or injury due to negligence during medical practice, even if sentenced to imprisonment or higher, their license will not be revoked. The amendment is expected to be submitted to the plenary session after passing through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.