🚨 National Petition: New Channel for Citizen Participation in Democracy and Policy Change

Today Korean Social News | 2025.07.21

📌 Discussion about returning resident doctors speeds up..."No special benefits" petition exceeds 25,000 people

💬 As discussions about returning resident doctors become more serious, a national petition opposing special government benefits for them is quickly gaining support. Resident doctor groups have decided on three major demands including forming a medical policy council, but patient groups and civil society are criticizing them, saying "they are using patients as bargaining tools." If this petition gets 50,000 or more supporters within 30 days, the government must provide an official response. At the current speed, it is expected to reach this number soon. National petitions serve as an important channel for citizens to directly voice their opinions on policies and act as a way to check public opinion on social issues.

Summary

• National petition is an online participation system where citizens can directly ask the government for policy suggestions or improvements.
• When 50,000 or more people agree within 30 days, government departments must provide an official response.
• Currently, the petition opposing special benefits for returning resident doctors has exceeded 25,000 supporters and is drawing social attention.

1️⃣ Definition

National petition means an online participation system where citizens can directly request policy suggestions, improvement demands, or problem solving from the government or National Assembly. Examples include Presidential Office national petitions and National Assembly citizen agreement petitions. When a certain number of people agree, you can receive official review and response.

This provides a channel for citizens to directly participate in the political process, complementing the limitations of traditional representative democracy, and strengthens communication between the government and citizens.

💡 Why is this important?

• It is a democratic channel where citizens can directly participate in policy decision-making processes.
• It can quickly understand public opinion on social issues.
• It serves as a check system that increases government policy transparency and responsibility.
• Even minority opinions can become public issues if they get a certain level of agreement.

2️⃣ Main Types and Procedures of National Petitions

📕 Types and Features of National Petitions

• National petitions are divided by platform. Main types include:

  • Presidential Office national petitions (currently Presidential Office national petitions) are a way to directly request from the executive branch.
  • National Assembly citizen agreement petitions are a system to request law creation or revision through the National Assembly.
  • Local governments also operate separate national petition systems.
  • Each has different agreement standards and processing procedures.

• Petition topics are very diverse. Main areas include:

  • Political and administrative reform, and requests for law creation and revision make up the largest portion.
  • Social and welfare policy improvements and education system change requests are also frequent.
  • Economic and job policies, and environmental and safety problem-solving requests are increasing.
  • Truth-finding and punishment requests for specific incidents or accidents are also common.
  • Recently, timely topics like COVID-19 response and real estate policies are getting attention.

📕 Petition Procedures and Processing

• The process from petition application to response is systematic. Main procedures include:

  • Submit a petition after identity verification.
  • A 30-day agreement period is given, during which other citizens can agree.
  • When 50,000 or more people agree, official review begins by relevant departments.
  • The review period is usually within 30 days and can be extended if necessary.
  • Finally, government officials or minister-level personnel announce an official response.

• Agreement standards and processing methods have special features. Main content includes:

  • The 50,000-person standard is the minimum condition to confirm sufficient social interest.
  • The more agreements, the higher level the response comes from.
  • When it exceeds 100,000 people, the President may respond directly.
  • Response content appears in various forms such as policy adoption, additional review, or maintaining current status.
  • Continuous monitoring and follow-up measures are taken even after the response.

Main Features of National Petitions

1. Accessibility: Online platform that anyone can easily participate in
2. Transparency: Agreement status and processing progress are disclosed in real-time
3. Immediacy: System that can quickly respond to social issues
4. Diversity: Covers all areas from politics to daily life
5. Responsibility: Government's obligation to provide official response when certain standards are met

3️⃣ Resident Doctor-Related Petitions and Social Impact

✅ Currently Ongoing Resident Doctor-Related Petitions

• The petition opposing special benefits for returning resident doctors is spreading rapidly. Main content includes:

  • The petition title is "No special benefits should be given when resident doctors and medical students return."
  • It exceeded 25,000 people in just a few days and agreements are growing rapidly.
  • The petitioner criticized that resident doctors are demanding conditional return using patient safety as a hostage.
  • They demand that no benefits such as re-providing training opportunities or reducing administrative punishments should be given.
  • At the current progress rate, reaching the 50,000-person standard seems certain.

• The confrontation with resident doctors' three major demands is clear. Main issues include:

  • Resident doctors demanded forming a medical policy council, improving training environment, and reducing medical accident burden.
  • However, citizens are accepting this as "conditional return" and opposing it.
  • Patient groups strongly criticized, saying "they are using patients as bargaining tools."
  • There are also criticisms that they don't consider the situation of patients suffering from medical staff shortages.
  • Past precedents of receiving special benefits in similar situations are increasing public opposition.

✅ Social Influence of National Petitions

• The influence of national petitions on policy changes is growing. Main examples include:

  • Over the past few years, dozens of petitions exceeded 50,000 people and led to government responses.
  • Some petitions actually led to law revisions or policy changes.
  • When government responses are insufficient, they often cause even bigger social controversies.
  • They lead to media attention and National Assembly questions, acting as continuous pressure.
  • They play an important role in forming public opinion and can influence elections.

• However, limitations and side effects are also pointed out. Main problems include:

  • There is a risk of being swept away by emotional or temporary public opinion.
  • There is a tendency to approach complex policy issues in a simplified way.
  • Minority opinions or expert opinions may be ignored.
  • When government responses are formal or evasive, effectiveness decreases.
  • Concerns are also raised that they may encourage populist policies.

4️⃣ Related Term Explanations

🔎 Participatory Democracy

• Participatory democracy is a form of democracy where citizens directly participate in political processes.
• Participatory democracy refers to a democratic system that complements the limitations of indirect democracy through representatives, allowing citizens to directly participate in and influence policy decision-making processes. Examples include national petitions, referendums, and citizen participatory budgeting.
• Main features of participatory democracy include: First, citizens' political participation opportunities are expanded. Second, direct communication between government and citizens becomes possible. Third, democratic legitimacy of policies is strengthened. Fourth, citizens' political interest and sense of responsibility increase.
• National petitions are a core tool of participatory democracy, enabling daily and continuous participation. Beyond periodic participation through elections, citizens can voice their opinions on policies at any time, playing an important role in improving the quality of democracy.

🔎 Digital Democracy

• Digital democracy is a new form of democracy using information and communication technology.
• Digital democracy refers to using digital technologies such as internet, mobile, and social media to expand citizen political participation and improve democratic decision-making. This includes online voting, electronic petitions, and digital discussions.
• Advantages of digital democracy include: First, high accessibility as participation is possible without time and space constraints. Second, lower participation costs allow more citizens to participate. Third, real-time communication and quick feedback are possible. Fourth, transparency and reliability can be increased through open processes.
• However, concerns about digital divide, fake news, and manipulation possibilities also exist. National petitions are a representative example of digital democracy showing both these advantages and disadvantages, and are an area that needs to be developed through appropriate institutional supplements.

🔎 Public Discussion

• Public discussion is a process of openly discussing social issues to reach consensus.
• Public discussion refers to a process where various stakeholders openly and transparently discuss and collect opinions on social controversies or policy issues to create social consensus. Representative methods include citizen jury systems, public surveys, and deliberative democracy.
• Core elements of public discussion include: First, sufficient information must be provided so citizens can make rational judgments. Second, various perspectives and opinions must be presented in a balanced way. Third, sufficient time must be given for in-depth discussion. Fourth, there must be binding force or influence on results.
• National petitions serve as a starting point for public discussion. They raise social interest in specific issues, confirm government official positions, and create opportunities for additional discussion. However, for true public discussion, deeper deliberative processes beyond petitions are needed.

5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Do national petitions really have effects on policy changes?

A: The effects of national petitions vary by case, but they definitely have influence. First, there are cases that led to direct policy changes. Some petitions that exceeded 50,000 people in past Presidential Office national petitions actually connected to law revisions or system improvements. Second, they provide opportunities to confirm government official positions and hear explanations. You can learn why the government carries out such policies and what plans they have. Third, they often raise social interest leading to media coverage and National Assembly discussions. Fourth, even if policies don't change immediately, they have the effect of making the government aware of the issue and consider it when establishing future policies. However, not all petitions get the desired results, and government responses may be formal. The important thing is that continuous interest and pressure through various channels must work together.

Q: Can anyone make a national petition? What procedures must be followed?

A: Any Korean citizen can make a national petition. The procedures are relatively simple. First, access the relevant petition website (Presidential Office national petition, National Assembly citizen agreement petition, etc.). Second, register as a member through identity verification. Confirm your identity through resident registration number or mobile phone verification. Third, write the petition title and content. The title should be brief and clear, and the content should include specific evidence and demands. Fourth, select a petition category and submit. Choose an appropriate field such as politics/administration, economy/jobs, society/welfare. Fifth, once the petition is posted, other citizens can agree for 30 days. Sixth, when 50,000 or more people agree, the government officially reviews and responds. Important points to note are that false facts, defamation of others, and personal information exposure are prohibited, and petitions may be deleted if these are violated. Also, if there is already a petition with the same or similar content, it's better to agree with the existing petition.