Doctors mull sit-in protests as nursing bill gets parliamentary nod

Lee Pil-soo, president of the Korea Medical Association, begins a hunger strike at the group's headquarters in Seoul Thursday, in protest of the passage of a controversial bill defining the roles and responsibilities of nurses. (Yonhap)

A group of doctors and other medical workers are reportedly considering launching a nationwide strike following the passage of a bill that stipulates a clear definition of nursing and nurses’ roles in medical services at the National Assembly's plenary session on Thursday. They have been opposing to the bill, saying that it would provide legal ground for nurses to open their own medical institutions.

Despite strong opposition from the ruling People Power Party, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea unilaterally passed the Nursing Act.

The Nursing Act, proposed by Rep. Kim Min-seok of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, is designed to provide a legal basis to improve nurses’ working conditions and guarantee access to nursing services in the community by specifying the roles and responsibilities of professional nurses. Nurses' groups have argued that they have long been suffering from poor working environments, often leading to overwork as their roles were not clearly specified in the law.

Doctors have opposed the bill, claiming that allowing nurses to visit patients and provide services independently would cause great confusion in the country's health care system. Other medical professionals -- including nursing assistants, radiology technicians, dentists, emergency medical technicians and care workers -- claim the new law would offer privileges and give too much authority to nurses as a particular group in the medical community.

A coalition of doctors' groups called the Korean Medical Association earlier warned that if the bill is passed at the plenary session on Thursday, its 140,000 members would go on strike from May. Other groups previously suggested the possibility of further strikes.

A general strike in the medical community is scheduled for May 17, according to local reports. The KMA has also asked President Yoon Suk Yeol to veto the bill. The president can exercise his veto power on the bill by attaching an objection statement within 15 days from the date when the approved bill is transferred to the government.

Members of the Korean Nurses Association hold a rally calling for the Nursing Act to be enacted, aimed at improving their working conditions near the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. (Yonhap)

By Lee Jaeeun(jenn@heraldcorp.com)