PPP, government to ask president to veto new Nursing Act

The People Power Party (PPP) and the government on Sunday decided to ask President Yoon Suk Yeol to veto the newly legislated Nursing Act that was pushed through the National Assembly, led by the Democratic Party (DP), last month.

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a luncheon with the leadership of the People Power Party (PPP) held in commemoration of his one-year anniversary in office at the presidential office on May 10. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

The People Power Party (PPP) and the government on Sunday decided to ask President Yoon Suk Yeol to veto the newly legislated Nursing Act that was pushed through the National Assembly, led by the Democratic Party (DP), last month.

Sunday’s decision was made during a high-level policy consultation meeting attended by officials including PPP leader Kim Gi-hyeon, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho.

“The government and the party agreed that the damage resulting from the Nursing Act pushed solely by one party that takes the lives of people as hostage would directly fall on the people,” said PPP spokesman Kang Min-guk.

“We, therefore, decided to ask the president to reconsider the Nursing Act which was unilaterally approved by the opposition party last month.”

Yoon is expected to make a final decision during a Cabinet meeting that falls on Tuesday as the official deadline to veto the legislation is set for Friday.

Doctors and other non-nurse medical professionals protest near the National Assembly in Yeouido on May 3 against the Nursing Act. [YONHAP]

Doctors have been fiercely protesting the newly legislated law as they worry that its stipulations of nurses' roles and responsibilities are too broad and could see nurses independently practice medicine.

The nursing bill was primarily designed to legally define the roles and responsibilities of nurses and improve their working conditions.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]