"Nurses 98% 'Agree' on Need for Collective Action if Veto on Nursing Act is Exercised"

Interim Results of the Survey by the Korean Nurses Association

Regarding the Nursing Act bill passed by the National Assembly plenary session, it has been confirmed that the majority of nurses agree with the opinion that 'nurses' collective action is necessary' if the president exercises the right to request reconsideration (veto power).

On the 12th, International Nurses Day 2023, nurses attending the commemorative celebration held on Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul, raised placards and shouted slogans urging the enactment of the Nursing Act. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

According to the Korean Nurses Association on the 13th, 75,239 members participated in the collective action opinion survey conducted since the 8th until 8 p.m. the previous day. Among them, 98.4% (74,035 people) agreed that nurses' collective action is necessary.

Also, 61.5% (46,272 people) responded that they would participate in the campaign to return nurse licenses, and 78.1% (58,762 people) expressed willingness to join the 'Clean Politics Campaign,' where one nurse joins one political party of their choice.

The survey will continue until the 14th, and the final results are scheduled to be announced on the 15th. Although the Korean Nurses Association has not mentioned a general strike, it has stated that it will respond strongly if President Yoon Seok-yeol exercises the veto power on the Nursing Act bill. Since this survey is a procedure for gathering opinions on collective action, if the majority opinion favors active collective action, the association plans to set a specific direction and take action.

Meanwhile, the Korean Nurses Association held a celebratory event commemorating 'International Nurses Day' around Gwanghwamun, Seoul, with an estimated 100,000 participants according to their own estimate. Kim Young-kyung, president of the association, who visited the site despite being on a hunger strike, said, "The Nursing Act will support the future of our healthcare, meet the nursing and care demands desired by the public, contribute to promoting public health, and ensure patient safety," and appealed, "We earnestly ask for the promulgation of the Nursing Act so that it can be finalized as a law."