Nursing Act Veto Imminent... Deliberating Exit Strategies to Resolve Conflicts in Medical Field

The Ministry of Health and Welfare with Increased Responsibilities

On the 16th, Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong proposed at the Cabinet meeting to request the President’s reconsideration (veto) of the Nursing Act bill, drawing attention to the exit strategy thereafter. Given the intense conflicts that have persisted in the health and medical sectors, it is not an easy situation to resolve these issues. With the nursing community strongly opposing the move and the medical community planning to make policy proposals ahead of next year’s general election, the government’s burden to coordinate these interests has grown heavier.

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyuhong is announcing the Ministry of Health and Welfare's position on the Nursing Act bill at the Government Seoul Office Building on the 15th.
[Photo by Ministry of Health and Welfare]

The nursing community plans to launch full-scale collective action as the long-awaited enactment of the Nursing Act is effectively canceled. In a prior survey conducted among members of the Korean Nurses Association, 98% agreed to collective action if the veto on the Nursing Act was exercised, making this a foreseen step. The association is expected to initiate campaigns such as returning nurse licenses, a “one person, one party” membership campaign, and large-scale mass rallies. PA nurses, who fall into a blind spot under the Medical Service Act, are also expected to begin their announced “lawful struggle.” The Korean Nurses Association has stated that, unlike the doctors’ group, it will not engage in collective actions that jeopardize public life and safety, so the highest level of collective action such as a general strike is reportedly not being considered at this time.

The government appears to be attempting to appease the nursing community based on future policy implementation. The Ministry of Health and Welfare is steadily carrying out the “Comprehensive Support Measures for Nursing Personnel” announced at the end of last month and has expressed its determination to create the best system by gathering opinions from the public, the field, and experts to establish a medical, nursing, and care system suitable for a super-aged society. At the same time, it has clearly stated that it will, in principle, respond to large-scale collective actions. Minister Cho Kyu-hong said, “There can be no medical vacuum for the sake of the public’s life and safety,” adding, “We will closely monitor the situation according to relevant laws and manuals and take necessary measures.”

However, there are also criticisms that the existing policies have limitations, given the deepening rift between the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the nursing community during the Nursing Act incident. Upon learning of the government and ruling party’s proposal for a veto, the Korean Nurses Association condemned, “Some lawmakers and the Ministry of Health and Welfare have manipulated clear facts to mock the public and deceive 620,000 nurses,” and vowed, “We will use all possible means to fight against false information and fake news and inform the public of the truth.” For the Ministry of Health and Welfare, this means facing the challenge of restoring relations with the nursing community, one of its health policy partners, and minimizing the impact of collective actions.

The Nursing Association delegation (left), continuing their hunger strike demanding the promulgation of the Nursing Act for 15 days, and the Health and Welfare Medical Solidarity conducting a relay hunger strike opposing the Nursing Act and the Medical License Revocation Act.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Another task remains to transform the health and medical field, which has long been divided and deeply conflicted over the Nursing Act issue, into a “one team.” The nursing community and other health and medical professional groups have exchanged sharp criticisms targeting each other. The Ministry of Health and Welfare cited “the risk of escalating conflicts by breaking trust and collaboration among professions in the medical field” as one of the reasons for recommending the reconsideration request of the Nursing Act. This implies that after exercising the veto, the existing conflicts must be reconciled.

The health and medical community, which had requested the President’s veto on the Nursing Act and the so-called “Medical License Revocation Act” (amendment to the Medical Service Act), is considered to have achieved a half-success. Not stopping there, the Health and Welfare Medical Solidarity, which includes 13 professional groups, launched a “General Election Planning Team” the day before to continue making policy proposals to the political sphere ahead of next year’s general election. Their eight major proposals include presenting solutions to the shortage of essential medical infrastructure, restoring the scope of work for health professions, and abolishing academic restrictions on the certified nursing assistant qualification exam. The Medical Solidarity stated, “The government and ruling party are continuously making efforts to mediate, but the Korean Nurses Association is rejecting these efforts,” adding, “The Medical Solidarity does not want division and conflict. Under any circumstances, we will not refuse dialogue and consultation.”

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