"Illegal strike realization threatens the lives of 13.8 million Gyeonggi-do residents"
"Request to allow nurses to perform minor medical procedures" proposal
Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung proposed a plan on the 23rd via social networking service (SNS) to allow nurses to perform limited medical procedures in preparation for emergencies such as a total doctors' strike. / Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, targeted the Korean Medical Association (KMA), which threatened a "general strike" in protest of the Medical Service Act amendment, by advocating to "allow nurses to perform minor medical procedures." When the KMA warned that a general strike could disrupt the mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign, he proposed granting vaccination authority to other medical personnel as an alternative.
The KMA recently warned that if the Medical Service Act amendment, which passed the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee (Welfare Committee), also passes the Legislation and Judiciary Committee (Legislation Committee), it would push for a nationwide doctors' strike. This has led to escalating conflicts with the ruling party opposing the move.
On the 23rd, Governor Lee posted on his Facebook titled "Proposal to the National Assembly for Exceptions to Doctors' Medical Monopoly in Preparation for Vaccine Strike," stating, "In a sovereign nation, anyone can assert their interests, but as members of the community, there are laws that must not be broken and lines that must not be crossed." He criticized, "The KMA is abusing the privileges granted by the people for public health as a tool to threaten public life and gain unjust private benefits."
He continued, "Currently, only doctors can administer COVID-19 vaccines under the law, but if the KMA's illegal strike materializes, the lives of 13.8 million Gyeonggi residents will be at risk," urging, "We cannot abandon legitimate legislation due to the KMA's illegal and unfair threats, so alongside pursuing license suspension for doctors, please allow qualified personnel such as nurses to temporarily perform minor medical acts like vaccinations or specimen collection in urgent cases."
On the afternoon of the 21st, at the 2nd meeting of the COVID-19 Vaccination Policy Joint Committee held at the Korea Health Promotion Institute in Jung-gu, Seoul, Choi Dae-jip, President of the Korean Medical Association, is speaking. / Photo by Yonhap News
Governor Lee's proposal came as an alternative to the KMA's general strike warning. On the 20th, the KMA issued a statement under the name of the presidents of city and provincial medical associations nationwide, labeling the Medical Service Act amendment as the so-called "license confiscation law," emphasizing that "(if the bill) passes the Legislation Committee, it will cause significant obstacles to COVID-19 response."
They warned, "We will engage in full-scale struggle including a nationwide doctors' strike," adding, "This will cause severe resentment among the KMA's 130,000 members who protect public health and life through COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment support, and vaccination cooperation, thereby causing major obstacles to COVID-19 response."
Earlier, the Welfare Committee held a plenary session on the 19th and passed the Medical Service Act amendment. The core of the bill is to revoke the licenses of doctors sentenced to imprisonment or higher for five years. The bill is scheduled to be submitted to the plenary session after passing the Legislation Committee.
However, as the medical community strongly opposes the bill, conflicts between the ruling party and the KMA have intensified. In this context, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Nam-guk and KMA President Choi Dae-jip engaged in a heated exchange on social media.
On the 20th, Kim posted on Facebook, "Doctors threatening with vaccine administration?if that’s not gangster behavior, then what is? The KMA is truly pathetic and shameful. I believe doctors themselves are ashamed of the KMA leadership."
In response, President Choi also posted on Facebook, saying, "The Democratic Party is truly pathetic and disgusting," adding, "The public must also feel ashamed and nauseated by the Democratic Party leadership. If lawmakers use legislative power to create retaliatory license confiscation laws, then are they gangsters or robbers, or lawmakers?"
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