"Stop Acting Up" Medical Association Vice President's Abusive Language Toward Nurse... Civic Group Files Complaint

Park Yong-eon, Vice President of the Korean Medical Association, "Presumptuous for a pawn..."
Seominwi "Trust in healthcare workers could collapse"

Park Yong-eon, Vice President of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), who sparked controversy with derogatory remarks about nurses, has been reported to the police by a civic group.

On the 23rd, the civic group Committee for the Protection of Ordinary People's Livelihoods (Seominwi) announced that they would file a complaint against Vice President Park for defamation and insult. Seominwi stated the reason for the complaint, saying, "Instead of respecting and considering nurses, there is a concern that it could cause another social problem," and added, "The principles of the medical field are being threatened, and the trust of medical industry workers could collapse."

[Image source=Park Yong-eon, Vice President of the Korean Medical Association (KMA) Facebook]

Earlier, on the 20th, Vice President Park posted a screenshot of a press release from the Korean Nurses Association (KNA) titled ‘Nurses Association Welcomes the Enactment of the Nursing Act’ on his Facebook, commenting, "Stop showing off. If you wanted to do that, you should have gone to medical school." He then criticized, "You are a pawn but you are acting like a player. Omitting subject and object. Arrogant people."

Even after the post caused controversy, Vice President Park said, "I have no intention of taking down the post or changing it. Stop showing off. It’s disgraceful." He added, "I was angry at the sight of residents cheering for such a law that gives all their positions to nurses," and "My post would be very upsetting to nurses, but it would be even more upsetting to residents."

Meanwhile, medical practices by nurses (PA nurses) will be legally permitted as early as June next year. PA nurses assist doctors in surgeries, examinations, and emergency situations, effectively performing some of the medical acts of doctors. Due to a shortage of doctors in essential medical fields, the number of PA nurses has rapidly increased since around 2010, and currently, more than 16,000 are active in medical institutions nationwide.

Since PA nurses are not a legally institutionalized profession under the Medical Service Act, they have been treated as 'illegal personnel' and have voiced difficulties due to their unstable status. However, with the passage of the Nursing Act in the National Assembly plenary session on the 28th of last month, the status of PA nurses will be legalized starting from May 28 next year.