Assemblyman Oh Young-hwan, "Patchwork Fire Safety and Firefighting Laws Reorganized into Two Separate Bills" Introduced as Lead Sponsor

Two Bills Including 'Strengthening Fire Safety for Large Logistics Warehouses' Passed by the Public Administration and Security Committee

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Oh Young-hwan, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee [Office of Lawmaker Oh Young-hwan]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] Oh Young-hwan, a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea (Uijeongbu City Gap), announced on the 17th that "two bills, which were separately proposed under the 'Act on Fire Prevention and Safety Management' and the 'Act on Installation and Management of Firefighting Facilities,' passed the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee on the 16th."

According to Assemblyman Oh, the current law, which has been amended in a patchwork manner whenever large-scale fires occurred, complicatedly regulates matters related to fire prevention policies and the installation and management of firefighting facilities, making it difficult for the public to understand. There were also limitations in reducing fire damage and promoting systematic fire prevention policies, so the law was reorganized into two separate acts.

Key points of the reorganization include requiring the Fire Agency Chief to disclose the results of fire safety investigations, such as the installation of emergency exits and related statuses, on internet homepages so that the public can access this information.

The Fire Agency Chief will also introduce a 'Fire Safety Impact Assessment' system regarding laws and policies related to fire safety, such as the Building Act and the High-Pressure Gas Safety Control Act, focusing on factors that cause fire risks and mitigation measures.

Furthermore, to strengthen the responsibility of fire safety managers, individuals appointed as electrical, gas, or hazardous materials safety managers under other laws are prohibited from concurrently performing the duties of fire safety managers. For construction sites, fire safety managers must be appointed from the day construction is reported until the approval for use, similar to general buildings.

The law also establishes grounds for the Fire Headquarters Chief or Fire Station Chief to conduct surprise fire drills targeting workers in buildings used by unspecified large numbers of people. Additionally, special management facilities are required to undergo regular fire prevention safety inspections by professional diagnostic agencies, thereby supplementing fire prevention measures.

When the Fire Station Chief notifies the building permit authority of their consent opinion on building permits, they must submit opinions not only on firefighting facilities but also on the legality and appropriateness of fire-related building areas such as evacuation facilities and fire compartments. This newly establishes the Fire Station Chief's right to submit opinions on evacuation and fire protection facilities from the building design stage.

Moreover, the regulation on the installation of automobile fire extinguishers, which was previously stipulated in the 'Regulations on the Performance and Standards of Automobiles and Automobile Parts,' has been transferred to the 'Act on Installation and Management of Firefighting Facilities.' The requirement to install fire extinguishers in passenger cars has been expanded from vehicles with seven or more seats to those with five or more seats.

In addition, if a person responsible for a specific firefighting target facility discovers serious violations such as a fire pump malfunction during self-inspection, they are obligated to repair it without delay. Violations of this obligation will be subject to a fine of up to 3 million won.

Assemblyman Oh stated, "If the so-called Fire Prevention Three Acts, which I have proposed to reflect the changing firefighting environment, are implemented, typical large-scale casualty accidents characteristic of developing countries can be prevented." He added, "I will continue to identify and improve problems and shortcomings in fire safety laws."