South Korean nurses report high rates of human rights violations

A recent survey by the Korean Nursing Association reveals that 41% of 2,105 nurses working in medical institutions experienced human rights violations within the past year. The most prevalent forms of abuse included verbal abuse (88.9%), workplace bullying (67.1%), sexual violence (17.7%), and physical violence (17.0%).

Despite these incidents, 76.4% of victims did not take any action. The primary reason cited was a belief that reporting would not lead to change (83.8%), followed by fears of disadvantages in promotions or organizational life (36.7%) and fear of retaliation (27.5%). Even among those who did report, 68.1% stated that no changes occurred within their institutions.

In response to these findings, the Korean Nursing Association and the National Health and Medical Industry Workers' Union are holding a policy forum at the National Assembly. The discussion aims to examine current response systems and develop institutional improvements to prevent human rights violations, such as increasing nursing staff, strengthening legal protections, and improving organizational culture.