Where is dialogue and compromise?

A solidarity representing the public healthcare professionals has threatened to launch a general strike to oppose the railroading of the controversial Nursing Act by the Democratic Party (DP) through the legislature. The association of 13 medical groups led by doctors and licensed practical nurses are set to announce its detailed plan for the strike in a press conference this morning.

The conflict between nurses and other medical professionals has been deepening since the passage of the bill last week. The president of the Korean Licensed Practical Nurses Association was taken to a hospital after staging a hunger strike in front of the National Assembly to protest the act.

The DP deserves criticism for unilaterally passing the bill to get votes in the parliamentary elections next year despite apparent vocational conflicts in the medical community. The government and the People Power Party (PPP) also cannot avoid responsibility for failing to present alternatives to the bill. Despite the need to broker between the two medical groups, the government and PPP were nearly sitting on their hands until the passage of the bill.

The general public may not be well aware of the details of the act. But the bill can bring about a meaningful change in the Medical Service Act since its promulgation in 1951, as it is aimed at separating nurses from other medical professions. Park Min-soo, a vice minister of health and welfare, criticized the bill for “shaking the very foundation of the unified medical law our society has upheld over the past 70 years.” The friction is particularly deepening over the clause on expanding the scope of nurses’ activity to the “local community.” Doctors suspect that it can infringe on their medical jurisdictions if the boundaries for nurses expand.

Regardless of the differences in their job, medical professionals must keep in mind that they serve the sublime interest of public health. If they adhere to their vocational interests without respecting the rights of others, it will only invite public distrust and criticism. A general strike that takes the health of the people hostage cannot be justified, no matter what. They must take a different approach to persuading the public rather than resorting to the shameful dereliction of duty.

The government and the PPP must mediate between the two rivaling groups to reach a compromise. The DP must be held accountable for passing the populist bill, but the government and the PPP are not free from responsibility either. The parties involved must prevent the situation from getting out of control. We urge members of the medical community to stop flexing their muscles and strike a deal before it’s too late.