Enactment of the Pending Nursing Act... Health and Medical Community Divided Over Support and Opposition, Continues Outdoor Protests

The Nursing Act bill, which was directly submitted to the National Assembly plenary session, was postponed on the 13th due to Speaker Kim Jin-pyo's intervention, and the healthcare sector's protests divided into pros and cons are expected to continue.

On the 13th, the submission of the Nursing Act bill, which the Democratic Party of Korea had announced it would push through in the National Assembly plenary session, was postponed.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the previous plenary session, the Democratic Party of Korea requested the approval of a schedule change to enact the Nursing Act, but Speaker Kim summoned the floor leaders of both ruling and opposition parties, and after discussions, decided to handle an alternative Nursing Act bill at the next plenary session to allow for a reasonable solution. The next plenary session will be held on the 27th.

The Korean Nurses Association, which has been demanding the enactment of the Nursing Act, along with the two major labor unions in the healthcare sector, did not issue any particular statement regarding the failure to pass the bill at this session. They expressed their intention to continue raising awareness about the necessity of the Nursing Act and wait, as the matter will be discussed at the next plenary session. Additionally, it is expected that they will emphasize the voices from the nursing field and the reasons for enacting the Nursing Act through the 'Cultural Square to Urge the Passage of the Nursing Act in the National Assembly' event held by the National Movement Headquarters for the Promotion of the Nursing Act in front of the National Assembly, as well as the weekly Wednesday 'Nursing Act Passage Wednesday Square' events.

The Health and Welfare Medical Solidarity, consisting of 13 professional organizations including the Korean Medical Association, which opposes the enactment of the Nursing Act, expressed relief at the postponement of the bill's submission but plans to continue their protest activities until the bill is discarded. Although the originally planned hunger strike was postponed due to the bill's postponement, the 'Resolution Rally for the General Strike of 4 Million Health and Welfare Medical Solidarity to Block the Nursing Act and Medical License Act' scheduled for the 16th in front of Sungnyemun will proceed as planned. Solo protests in front of the National Assembly will also continue.

Given the ongoing conflict, it is expected to be difficult to create a mediation or compromise proposal. Previously, the People Power Party, the government, and related organizations gathered for a consultation with the Democratic Party, but the nursing sector criticized it as an unfair meeting. The nursing sector insists that the Nursing Act bill, which has undergone sufficient discussion, should be passed as originally proposed. Conversely, the solidarity opposing the bill demands its repeal, so a tense tug-of-war is expected to continue during the remaining two weeks until the next plenary session.

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