If the New Regulation is Introduced, the Existing One Would be Abolished

If the new regulation restricting the total number of laws that is being introduced for next year is passed, it is expected to replace the old regulations. Also, the disciplinary action by the Regulatory Reform Committee (RRC) may apply to civil servants who do not yield to the RRC’s will.

The RRC, which is under the direct control of the president, reported on the findings of the council for regulation reformation, at a Council for National Policies meeting on November 13 held by President Roh Moo-hyun at the Blue House.

Joint RRC chairman Ahn Moon-seock said, “The rate at which the bureaucracy is being reduced is just 3 percent, while major laws have still not been consolidated.” He argued, “Within three years, the quality and the quantity of our laws will be inferior to those of our competitive countries.”

Accordingly, the RRC will introduce the regulation restricting the total number of laws and consequently repeal the existing regulations.

Also, the central administration system should consolidate every regulation over the next four years. If the necessity of the existing regulations cannot be demonstrated, 10 percent of them must be abolished in principle by applying the “zero-base approach.” Added to this, the “sunset clause for regulations” – applied only if there is no special reason and it settles the continued existence of the regulation- will be spread broadly.

Together with the Commission for the Government Innovation and Decentralization, the Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption (KIKAC), and the Ombudsman of Korea, the RRC is planning to organize the “propellant council for reformation regulations,” and to improve the internal regulations of the administration system.

Jong-Hoon Lee taylor55@donga.com