Resident Labor Union Officially Launched, 3,000 Members Join

There are 10,305 residents in training hospitals nationwide

The labor union for residents training to become specialists at hospitals was officially launched on September 14. As of this date, approximately 3,000 residents have joined the National Resident Labor Union. Currently, there are a total of 10,305 residents in training hospitals nationwide.

According to Yonhap News, the National Resident Labor Union held its inauguration ceremony in the main auditorium on the first basement floor of the Korean Medical Association building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on this day. The union stated, "We established the union to put an end to exploitation and to restore a collapsing healthcare system."

On the 14th, at the inauguration ceremony of the National Resident Labor Union held at the Korean Medical Association in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Chairman Yu Cheongjun waved the union flag. 2025.9.14 Photo by Yonhap News

The first chairman is Yoo Cheongjun, an emergency response committee member of the Korean Intern Resident Association (Central University Hospital resident), and the senior vice chairman is Nam Giwon, also an emergency response committee member of the Korean Intern Resident Association.

The union declared that it will: ▲ fight to protect the legitimate rights and humane lives of residents; ▲ prioritize patient safety and public health as the highest values; and ▲ share responsibility with society for the sustainable development of healthcare in South Korea.

In their declaration, they stated, "The reality that residents have endured out of a sense of duty has been a work environment and deprivation of educational rights that disregard not only the Labor Standards Act but even the Special Act on Residents," and questioned, "Is it justifiable for residents to be consumed as cheap labor while being deprived of their educational and human rights?"

They added, "A healthcare system maintained at the expense of residents' exploitation and deprivation of rights can no longer be sustained," and declared, "We will no longer remain silent and become disposable tools of hospitals."

In his inaugural address, Chairman Yoo Cheongjun said, "This is not an organization solely for improving our own working conditions, but a starting point for protecting patient safety and creating a healthy and sustainable healthcare system, as well as the first step toward better healthcare." He emphasized, "Guaranteeing labor and human rights for residents is directly linked to ensuring patient safety."

On September 14, 2025, Yoo Cheongjun, chairman, is giving a greeting at the inauguration ceremony of the National Resident Labor Union held at the Korean Medical Association in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.

Previously, in 2006, the 'Resident Union' was established as the first occupation-specific union among doctors, but it failed to play a practical role due to centralized management and lack of participation from residents, effectively rendering it inactive. There was also an attempt to establish a union during the collective action in 2020, but it was unsuccessful.

Going forward, the National Resident Labor Union plans to negotiate with the government and other parties on issues such as reducing working hours and improving training environments for residents. Since its launch on September 1, more than 3,000 residents have joined the union as of the afternoon of September 14.