As the first-ever Korean law firm to issue specialized legislative journals, DR & AJU LLC has been publishing the monthly Policy & Business (P&B) Report since August 2019. The P&B Report provides analyses of plenary sessions of the National Assembly, as well as standing committee and subcommittee meetings. In addition, the firm has been co-hosting the Future Leaders Forum with the Herald Business, inviting chairpersons of standing committees to discuss relevant legislative issues and tasks.
 
As an extension of this service, DR & AJU has also been issuing the Weekly Legislative Report, which covers various legal issues at the center of public debate along with editorials and columns on the Serious Accidents Punishment Act (“SAPA”) from major daily news outlets. The report will be released with an update on newly proposed or pending bills. Enclosed is this week’s legislative report, and please refer to the P&B Report for further details.
 
If you wish to subscribe to the P&B Report or have any other queries, please contact us at lc@draju.com.
 
 
1. Proposed Bill(s)
 
① Partial Amendment to the Personal Information Protection Act
 
This Amendment explicitly includes USIM-related data, alongside personally identifiable information and biometric data, as subject to mandatory encryption.
 
② Special Act on the Construction Safety

This Bill provides that constructors, construction engineering business entities, and architects whose negligence in fulfilling safety management duties results in a fatality may face a business suspension of up to one year or a penalty surcharge of up to 3% of their annual sales.

2. Pending Bill(s)
 
③ Partial Amendment to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act

This Amendment introduces the principle of presuming worker status, defines an "employer" to include any person who exerts or holds de facto control or influence, and expands both the scope of labor disputes and the limitations on corporate damage claims against union strikes.
 
3. Promulgated Bill(s)
 
④ Enforcement Decree of the Petroleum and Alternative Fuel Business Act
 
This Bill extends the period, during which the natural gas import surcharge imposed on, or collected from, petroleum refiners, exporters, or importers who import non-power generation natural gas is lowered, until the end of this year. It also set the surcharge at KRW 20,605 per ton.

4. Bill(s) Undergoing Pre-Announcement of Legislation/Administration

⑤ Partial Amendment to the Employment Insurance Act

This Amendment amends the eligibility criteria for employment insurance enrollment by replacing the prior “working hours” standard with an “income”-based criterion, thereby enabling part-time workers to enroll in employment insurance.

5. Serious Accidents Punishment Act ("SAPA") Related Editorials and Columns from Major Dailies
 
[Aju Korea Daily] Construction Industry Raises Concern Over Excessive Punishment Threatening Corporate Survival Under Proposed Special Act on Construction Safety With 3% Revenue Fines
[Aju Korea Daily] Labor Ministry Calls for Strict Compliance With 20-Minute Breaks Every Two Hours During Heatwaves
[The Korea Economic Daily] President Lee Urges Stronger Measures to Prevent Industrial Accidents … Will Harsher Systems Than SAPA Follow?
[The Korea Economic Daily] Investigation Launched into “Incheon Manhole Accident” for Potential SAPA Violations … Both Prime and Subcontractors Under Scrutiny

*For more details, please download the PDF file attached.