Nursing Association Collective Action 98.6% Agreement... "No Strike Expected"

On the 16th, at the Cabinet meeting, it is expected that the nursing community will engage in unprecedented 'collective action' if the President exercises the veto power on the Nursing Act.

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@

The Korean Nurses Association announced that, as a result of a survey conducted from the 8th to the 14th among all members, 98.6% (103,743 out of 105,191 participants) responded that 'active collective action is necessary.'

This is a 0.2 percentage point increase from the 98.4% reported in the interim results announced on the 13th. The survey saw participation from 54.5% of all members.

Accordingly, the Korean Nurses Association is reportedly discussing the level of collective action in preparation for the President’s exercise of veto power. However, the association stated, "Unlike the Korean Medical Association and some other health care organizations, we do not plan to engage in strikes that jeopardize the lives and safety of the public."

The survey also asked opinions on participation in the nurse license return movement and the 'Clean Politics Campaign,' which encourages nurses to join one political party of their choice. 64.1% (67,408 people) expressed willingness to participate in the nurse license return movement, and 79.6% (83,772 people) said they would participate in the 'Clean Politics Campaign.'

Korean Nurses Association President Kim Young-kyung said, "All nurses in the Republic of Korea overwhelmingly agreed on the need for active collective action," adding, "As the fate of public health rights and the future of Korea’s healthcare system hinge on the promulgation of the Nursing Act, nurses have resolved to take active measures. If the President exercises the veto power on the Nursing Act, we plan to engage in vigorous collective action accordingly."

The Korean Nurses Association also sharply criticized the Ministry of Health and Welfare, which decided to recommend the exercise of veto power to the President. The association stated, "This is nothing more than a copy of the fake news previously claimed by groups opposing the Nursing Act," and criticized, "It is shocking and appalling that a government responsible for leading health care policies for the nation and its people can make such a critical national decision based on malicious and groundless black propaganda."