Health and Medical Workers' Union Proposes 72-Hour Marathon Talks for Ruling and Opposition Lawmakers' Council

The National Health and Medical Industry Labor Union (Health and Medical Labor Union) proposed a 72-hour marathon negotiation on the 13th to activate the 'Ruling and Opposition Party Parliamentary Council'.

As the National Health and Medical Industry Labor Union has announced a strike starting on the 29th, medical staff were checking patients' conditions in the emergency room of the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 28th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

In a statement issued that day, the Health and Medical Labor Union criticized, "The ruling and opposition parties agreed to focus on activating the parliamentary council to prioritize resolving the medical emergency faced by the people, but public expectations are turning into disappointment. Although they verbally agree to activate the parliamentary council to resolve the medical crisis and save lives, they are still attaching unreasonable preconditions and engaging in sharp blame games."

The Health and Medical Labor Union stated, "It is very clear that if they continue to attach preconditions and only engage in blame games as before, the parliamentary council cannot even be formed," and argued, "The ruling and opposition parties, who hold the key to the solution, must make a decision and resolve this."

The Health and Medical Labor Union demanded, "Ahead of Chuseok, the parliamentary council must be opened unconditionally to find a solution to the medical crisis," adding, "With a firm determination to find a solution to the medical crisis, they must even give up the Chuseok holiday and conduct a 72-hour marathon negotiation to produce hopeful results for the people. An agreement on the solution to the medical crisis that meets the public’s expectations must be prepared and submitted by the Chuseok table on September 17."