Nursing job market shrinks amid prolonged government-doctor conflict

As the conflict between the government and the medical community drags on, the nurse hiring market is shrinking, leading to growing calls for urgent measures to address the situation.

On Tuesday, Reps. Park Ju-min, Lee Soo-jin, Kim Yoon, Jeon Jin-sook, and Seo Mi-hwa of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) met with nurses and nursing students at the National Assembly to discuss the current state of employment difficulties for prospective nurses and ways to resolve the issue.

According to a survey by the Korean Nursing Association, the nurse assignment rate for the first half of 2025 decreased by 52.8 percent compared to the same period last year. Some hospitals have even issued guidelines stating that they may cancel hiring altogether if candidates are forced to wait for more than two years.

Lee Sang-eun, a newly licensed nurse who has been hired by a hospital but has not yet been assigned, attended the meeting.

“Despite the government-doctor conflict, I obtained my license. However, after several months, a significant number of newly licensed nurses like me cannot start work,” Lee said. “Due to the reduction in medical staff caused by the decrease in the number of patients, hospitals are unable to assign employed personnel as planned, resulting in the ‘waitingale’ phenomenon.”

“Waitingale” is a portmanteau of “waiting” and “Nightingale,” referring to the situation where new nurses wait for their assignments. The waiting period averages four to five months. Lee said she is one of such “waitingale group.”

“Even though I obtained my license, I am unable to build a career as a nurse, and it has become normal to work part-time jobs to make ends meet. Since I have no idea when I will be assigned, it is difficult to make important plans,” she said.

Lee explained that more licensed nurses give up nursing due to the long wait and switch to other professions. Some are preparing for overseas nursing exams due to Korea’s unstable employment. This type of human resource drain results in overall losses for the medical field.

“We have dreams of growing into skilled nurses in Korea and contributing to medical care. Please consider the reality of nurses who are facing an uncertain wait,” she added.

Nursing students are also concerned.

“I check every day to see if there are any nursing job postings,” said Park Joon-soo, a nursing student. “Compared to previous years, the number of job openings has noticeably decreased, and new hiring has been further curtailed due to unpaid leave and the conversion of nurses to physician assistants.”

The concentration of nursing personnel in the Seoul metropolitan region is also a concern. According to health insurance statistics, 43.5 percent of the 289,074 nurses working in clinical settings, or 125,619 nurses, are employed in Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi Province.

“Even if I want to work in my hometown, I have no choice but to choose the greater Seoul area because of wages, welfare, and housing issues,” Park added.

The DPK said it would discuss the adequacy of nursing personnel supply at the Medical Workforce Supply and Demand Estimation Committee.

Rep. Lee Soo-jin, a former nurse, pointed out that Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Park Min-soo’s remark was to adjust the enrollment quota for nursing schools.

“It is unacceptable to make such a statement after establishing the Medical Workforce Supply and Demand Estimation Committee,” Lee said. “I will work with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare to revise government policies regarding the employment of new nurses and nursing students and ensure that the committee is activated promptly.”