`Ban on instant cup noodle serving at PC cafés to be lifted’

PC cafés will be allowed to serve instant cup noodles to patrons by pouring hot water when selling cup noodles, without worries about authorities’ crackdown. After a special report was released by The Dong-A Ibo, the government has decided to ease regulation banning “PC café operators from pouring hot water into instant cup noodles," which was considered one of major difficulties facing self-employed PC café owners.

In a briefing session to the president on Monday, the Government Legislation Ministry said that it will recommend the Korea Food and Drug Administration to revise executive ordinance of the Food Hygiene Act by enabling operators of PC and comics cafés to pour hot water into instant cup noodles to serve their customers.

“We judged that this regulation was illogical because such practice was already exempt from crackdown at convenience stores and highway service areas,” the ministry said. "Pouring hot water into instant cup noodles will be allowed not only at PC and comics cafés but also similar convenience stores.”

The ministry also reported to the president that it will seek to revise the Income Tax Act to provide tax deductions for monthly rent to residents at office-residential units and studios for individuals in consultation with the Strategy and Finance Ministry. Residents of housing including apartment units, who earn 50 million won (43,600 U.S. dollars) or less in annual salary, are entitled to tax deduction for up to 50 percent of their monthly rent, but residents of office-residential units and studios for individuals considered "pseudo-housing" have been excluded from the benefit.

The Government Legislation Ministry also disclosed a plan to make “easy-to-understand laws and regulations.” By mentioning Article 108 of the Civil Code, which was cited as an example by the ministry, President Park Geun-hye said, “How irreverent is this provision and difficult (for laypeople) to understand? If this is revised to ‘Fake expression of intent by colluding with the other party shall be void,” which is easy to understand, the Civil Code book will become a bestseller.” The ministry reported to the president that it will submit 161 (78.9 percent) out of the 204 bills, which are required for implementing the new administration’s state agendas, to the National Assembly within this year.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission reported to the president that by the end of first half, it will submit the “act on prevention of illicit soliciting of favors and civil servants’ conflict of interest,” which is dubbed “Kim Yeong-ran Act” after the agency’s former chief. According to the bill, if a civil servant takes valuables or entertainment worth 1 million won (850 dollars) or more, he or she will be punished, even if the gift was provided without involving any favors in return. The commission made pre-announcement on the bill in August last year, but legislation has been delayed because the Government Legislation Ministry opposed it, saying, "The existing act should be amended, rather than new act is created."

President Park said in the briefing sessions, “If the government is to win the public’s trust, it should eradicate corruptions in the officialdom, and establish rule of law by achieving equitable implementation of legal order.”

peacechaos@donga.com