Passage of Operating Room CCTV Law... Korean Medical Association: "A Peak of Regression in Korean Healthcare, Will Engage in Legal Battle"

"Strong Criticism of the Worst Law Ever That Considers Good Medical Professionals as Potential Criminals"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Regarding the mandatory installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) in operating rooms, which passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 31st, the medical community described it as "the worst situation that will remain the pinnacle of regression in the Korean medical field" and expressed their intention to resist until the end.

The Korean Medical Association stated in a press release that "In reality, where millions of surgeries are performed annually, the ruling party and government have ultimately enforced the worst law in history that considers the vast majority of good medical professionals as potential criminals based on a very small number of unethical deviations," and criticized, "The passage of the unprecedented mandatory operating room CCTV installation bill in the National Assembly plenary session today will be remembered as a painful stain in the history of Korean medicine."

They continued, "They thoroughly ignored the voices and legitimate claims of medical experts for public health and hastily pushed through populist legislation by riding on public opinion that lacks sufficient information about the actual situation," lamenting, "What does medicine mean in this country now, and what status does it hold?"

The KMA also conveyed their determination to continue legal battles to minimize damage to surgeons in the future. The association said, "First, during the two-year grace period, we will continuously identify the potential harms of the toxic provisions of this law and strive relentlessly to minimize the damage to good surgeons," adding, "Moreover, since this law seriously infringes on fundamental rights such as the freedom to perform one's profession as stipulated in the Constitution, we will file constitutional complaints and proceed with legal battles."

Finally, they added, "The government and the National Assembly must sincerely consider the possibility that the medical collapse resulting from this law will ultimately lead to harm to the public and must respond to the medical community's proposals and demands for future amendments to this bill."

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