Passage of the Partial Amendment Bill to the Public Officials' Disaster Compensation Act at the National Assembly Plenary Session

Chairman Hong Suntak and Assemblyman Oh Younghwan (right)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The Public Officials' Disaster Compensation Act partial amendment bill (Presumption of Work-Related Injury Act), jointly proposed by the National Fire Safety Public Officials Labor Union (Chairman Hong Suntak) and Assemblyman Oh Young-hwan, a former firefighter, passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 29th and will be implemented starting next year.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Firefighters' Union, along with Assemblyman Oh Young-hwan, who originally proposed the bill on November 9, 2020, and Seo Young-kyo, Chair of the Administrative Safety Committee, has been pushing for an amendment to the Public Officials' Disaster Compensation Act to recognize that if a public official in a hazardous duty contracts an occupational disease leading to disability or death, the disease and death shall be presumed to be work-related unless evidence proves otherwise.

Over the past decade (2011?2020), there were 6,555 cases of line-of-duty death and work-related injury applications by firefighters and their bereaved families, of which 716 cases were not approved. Despite repeated administrative lawsuits, only 48.2% received relief, but many cases were abandoned due to the burden of proof and financial difficulties, which this amendment aims to prevent.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Firefighters' Union began discussions on introducing the presumption of work-related injury system at the policy meeting between the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions public officials organization and the Democratic Party's Labor Respect Practice National Assembly members on June 17, 2021, and also demanded the introduction of the system at the high-level policy consultation between the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Democratic Party on August 24, 2021.

Chairman Hong Suntak stated, “Through this amendment, not only firefighters but also police officers, postal workers, and environmental public officials will receive the same benefits. The labor union will continue to work in solidarity with public officials and workers who are facing difficulties together and strive for further improvements.”