South Korea’s National Assembly passed the Nursing Act in a plenary session on Wednesday, legally defining and expanding the roles of physician assistant (PA) nurses. The bill marks a key piece of bipartisan legislation. The Nursing Act had previously failed in the 21st National Assembly after President Yoon Suk-yeol vetoed the bill due to concerns over objections from the Korean Medical Association — the country’s largest doctors’ union, which represents 130,000 doctors. 

Its passage in the 22nd National Assembly follows the resolution of issues surrounding the scope of PA nurses’ medical activities, paving the way for enhanced legal protections and responsibilities for nursing professionals.