"9 out of 10 Citizens Say the Legal System Is Outdated"

Survey on 'Problems of the Current Legal System' by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Multiple responses allowed.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] When asked what the problem with the current legal system is, more than 9 out of 10 people cited that it is outdated. This indicates a judgment that it does not properly reflect changes in the times.

According to a survey conducted on June 16 by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) targeting 1,200 adults regarding the legislative direction of the 21st National Assembly, the most frequently cited problem with the current legal system was the "outdated legal system," accounting for 91.6%. The response that the legal system is "outdated" was highest among those in their 20s at 94.8%, followed by those in their 30s (91.8%), 50s (90.7%), and 40s (89.1%).

The second most cited issue was the lack of legislative impact assessments, and the third was excessive regulations layered like a rooftop structure. This was followed by positive-type legislation that restricts new businesses and the regulation of autonomous norms by law.

In the corporate field, the Chamber pointed out that innovation is often hindered due to laws and systems that do not fit the current era. Even when related support bills are introduced, the legislative process rarely gains momentum. The "Top 10 Urgent Legislative Tasks for Innovation Support" identified by the business community are still pending in the National Assembly or have not even been proposed. The Framework Act on the Development of the Service Industry has been pending in the National Assembly for 10 years, and the Industry Convergence Promotion Act, Information and Communications Convergence Act, and the Financial Innovation Special Act?collectively known as the "Sandbox 3 Acts"?are approaching the end of the two-year regulatory sandbox demonstration period, but their legislative status remains uncertain.

In the medical field, the Personal Information Protection Act allowing MyData projects and the Industrial Safety and Health Act permitting remote safety inspections using Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) have not even been proposed. Professor Kim Tae-yoon of Hanyang University, who serves as an advisory member of the KCCI, said, "With the transition to a low-growth trend and the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the overall vitality of the national economy has declined," adding, "I hope that innovation support bills will be processed swiftly to create an opportunity to restore dynamism."

Regarding legislative approaches to problem-solving, more people believed that strictly enforcing existing systems first and then supplementing the deficiencies is preferable to creating new systems. The top legislative priority for the 21st National Assembly was boosting economic vitality, cited by 39.8%, followed by enhancing workers' and consumers' rights (28.5%), improving corporate governance and commercial practices (15.6%), and promoting welfare for marginalized groups (14.3%).

Lee Sang-heon, head of the Regulatory Innovation Team at KCCI, said, "The public hopes that the National Assembly will prioritize legislative activities that reflect changes in the times through legal system innovation and economic revitalization," adding, "We expect that innovation support bills such as the Service Industry Development Act will be prioritized in the March National Assembly session."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.