Legal Adult Age Drops by One Year

The adult age stipulated in civil law will fall from the current full 20 years old to a full 19 years old.

Therefore, once people reach a full 19 years of age (650,000 turned 19 last year), they will be able to enjoy adult rights, such as marriage, using credit cards, and participating in contract processes without the permission of their parents.

Meanwhile, with emphasis on consolidating the constitutional freedom of association, the government has decided to relax legal standards of corporate establishments. Previously, people have had to receive the government’s special approval when they wanted to establish corporations. But from now on, the government will just confirm their requests.

The government held a Cabinet meeting at the Central Government Complex in Sejongro yesterday, presided over by Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, and passed amendment bill to the civil law containing these changes.

With the adult age changing, voices that ask for the reduction of the voting age from a full 20 years old to a full 19 years old are expected to increase as a consequence.

However, since article 7 of the Election Law stipulates that only people who reach a full 20 years old are allowed to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections, without the amendment to the Election Law, it is impossible for them to have the right to vote.

In addition, the amendment bill stipulates that only when one stands for security on the basis of written documents can a contract be valid. Unrestricted fixed collateral and fixed security are also prohibited in order to prevent people from falling in danger of bankruptcy due to reckless assurances.

Meanwhile, the government passed an amendment bill to the National Health Law that stipulates an increase in the allotment to the nation’s health, in the form of a cigarette consumption charge increase from 150 won per 20 cigarettes to 354 won.

Yong-Gwang Jung yongari@donga.com