“Government proposes veto on Nursing Act amidst opposition: President Yoon expected to accept”

The government and the ruling party held a high-ranking party-governmental meeting this afternoon and decided to propose to President Yoon Seok-yeol the use of the veto power, that is, a request for reconsideration of the Nursing Act enactment, and President Yoon is expected to accept it.

People’s Power Chief Spokesman Kang Min-guk said at a briefing at the National Assembly, “The party and the government agreed that the Nursing Act is a legislative solo law that takes the lives of the people hostage.”

“There is a great concern that the Nursing Act will have a negative impact on public health by undermining trust and collaboration among healthcare workers.”

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong is also expected to announce his position that he will propose a re-review tomorrow, and it is highly likely that the re-request will be decided at the first cabinet meeting presided over by President Yoon on the 16th, marking the second year of his presidency.

However, as a result of a survey by the Korean Nursing Association, 98% of the respondents said that they would take collective action if President Yoon exercised the right to veto.

This is because when President Yoon visited the Korean Nursing Association in January of last year when he was a presidential candidate, he responded positively to the request for enactment of the Nursing Act.

The Nursing Act was created by removing the nursing-related content from the Medical Act.

Regarding this, other medical fields such as doctors, nursing assistants, and caregivers strongly oppose nurses’ independent openings and invasions of treatment, and the government and the ruling party view it negatively, saying that the Nursing Act was passed led by the opposition party with seats.