[Editorial] Standoff over Nursing Act

A divisive conflict is heating up in the medical sector that could paralyze medical services for the public over the Nursing Act, which was passed Thursday by the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

Making matters more complicated is the muddy partisan politics over the controversial bill, with the ruling People Power Party set to ask President Yoon Suk Yeol to veto the bill -- a development that could weaken the president’s political standing from the view of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea.

The bill originally aimed at putting the roles and responsibilities of nurses in clearer terms and improving their working conditions. The Korean Nurses Association (KNA) has pushed for the separation of the Nursing Act from the Medical Service Act, which limits nurse's role as assistants to medical doctors.

But medical groups led by doctors argue that the bill is intended to benefit nurses only, while ignoring the rights of other medical professionals, including doctors and nursing assistants.

The 13 vocational groups, including the Korean Medical Association (KMA) and the Korean Licensed Practical Nurses Association, plan to stage partial strikes nationwide Wednesday to protest the bill. The members of the groups are reportedly using their annual leave en masse to join the rallies. They are threatening to hold additional rallies, which will shut down some clinics and disrupt certain medical services.

The 13 vocational groups, however, did not opt for a general strike that could make public opinion about their position worse. But if the dispute drags on without a compromise, it seems inevitable that patients will experience inconveniences in the coming weeks.

The underlying reason for the conflict over the bill is the vested interests that are at stake. Medical professionals have long fought to safeguard their exclusive rights and their turf, as demonstrated by the longstanding clashes between doctors trained in Western medicine and doctors of Korean medicine.

As for the Nursing Act, the KMA claims that the bill would pave the way for the opening of clinics run by nurses in the future. But nurses argue that the bill will lead to better, high-quality medical services by setting up a systematic government policy on nursing.

Given that the different medical workers hold contrasting views of the bill, lawmakers from rival parties should have discussed any controversial details fully and hammered out a compromise through close consultations with all stakeholders involved.

Unfortunately, both the ruling and opposition party have ignored the bill since it was proposed in March 2021. It was in February this year that the Democratic Party unilaterally handled the bill in the health subcommittee and sent it to the plenary session at the National Assembly.

Some political observers claim that the Democratic Party is now intentionally pushing for Yoon to veto the bill. Yoon’s veto after the unilateral passage of the bill will lead to another parliamentary session of partisan votes, resulting in a wasteful confrontation between the government and opposition lawmakers. This situation will also undermine Yoon’s position, as he is supposed to use his veto only sparingly. The Democratic Party, meanwhile, expects to secure more votes from nurses in the general election next year, if the political wrangling continues.

It is true that political parties are largely responsible for the problematic passage of the revision bill on nurses without full consultations with all stakeholders. But the medical sector is also accountable for the confrontation based on their vested interests.

It is widely accepted that nurses struggle with poor working conditions and relatively low salaries compared with other medical professionals. The separate Nursing Act is designed to address such problems for nurses, but it does not offer similar protection to nursing assistants.

The KMA and related medical organizations, which want Yoon to veto the revision bill, should refrain from going on strike, either general or partial, as such an act based on protecting their vested interests could put the lives and health of the people at unnecessary risk.

It is unclear whether Yoon will attempt to veto the bill. Regardless of his decision, it is time for all stakeholders to seek a compromise, as the continued standoff will hurt vulnerable patients the most severely.