About 20,000 nurses (police estimate) held a rally in Gwanghwamun district, Seoul on the 19th, condemning President Yoon Seok-yeol’s exercise of his right to veto the Nursing Act. They also said that they would campaign for politicians who were part of the presidential veto exercise to fail.
In a statement, the Nursing Association said, “The Nursing Act has already prepared an alternative by reflecting all the requirements and concerns of all positions in the Health and Wellbeing Committee of the National Assembly, and 179 members of the National Assembly agreed and passed the meeting full .” has proposed a veto to the president based on false claims by opposition groups.” The Nursing Association said, “There was an unprecedented situation where President Yoon rejected the Nursing Act, which was his promise.”
Kim Yeong-kyung, chairman of the Korean Nursing Association, said, “We will definitely condemn the politics of betrayal that reverses promises, shameless politics that hide the truth, and false politics that betray trust.” They have argued that it has been normal under the Medical Act to carry out medical activities on behalf of doctors, not the duties of nurses.
The launch ceremony of a general election planning team of 16 provincial and regional branches was also held at the rally. In the general election planning team’s launch statement, the association said, “620,000 nurses will take part in the upcoming general election and judge corrupt politicians without fail.” The association also said that nurses would join the political party. It is intended to influence the nominations for next year’s general elections. The association said it would also campaign to fail the “corrupt politicians” it claims.
At the rally that day, a performance was also held where a sign with the words “false encouragement” was added to the signboard with the “People Power” and “Ministry of Health and Welfare” logos. The nurses shouted the slogan, “The strength of the people before and after, judged in the general election.” The rally started at 2:00pm. It occupied 4 out of 8 roundabout lanes on Sejong-daero in Seoul. The nurses marched from Gwanghwamun towards Seoul Station around 3:20 pm and the rally ended.
