Emissions trading scheme

The emissions trading legislation is the centerpiece of President Lee Myung-bak’s “low-carbon, green growth” initiative aimed at slashing emissions by 30 percent below the business-as-usual trajectory by 2020. It will also make Korea one of the earliest Asian economies to launch a nationwide cap-and-trade system.

Under the plan, about 600 companies and institutions will be required to purchase credits to discharge more than their quota. They will also be able to sell any remaining allowance if they succeed in emitting less.

The scheme applies to firms that discharge 125,000 tons or more of carbon dioxide a year or workplaces that emit 25,000 tons or more annually.

In September, the government imposed emissions caps on 470 public and private entities and set fines as a demonstration program that came into force this year.

To ease business jitters, the government plans to give out free credits to some of the most affected ones and provide 3 trillion won ($2.7 billion) by 2016 in loans, subsidies and tax breaks for facility upgrades and research in eco-friendly technologies.

Korea is the world‘s ninth-largest polluter. Its emissions have more than doubled over the past two decades to about 606 million tons last year, logging the fastest pace among OECD members.

The European Union and New Zealand currently run respective carbon trading bourses. Australia has also approved a similar scheme. In Asia, China plans to launch a nationwide cap-and-trade system in 2015.


Location tracking

Lawmakers also passed a controversial bill that allows police to trace the locations of crime victims without a warrant despite privacy concerns.

The revision on the act on the protection and use of location information has been delayed for nearly four years since it was first proposed, due largely to civic groups’ resistance.

It gained momentum recently following a series of cases of kidnapping, rape and murder.

Under the new rule, police officers do not need any warrant or permission of any kind to track the location of people in emergency situations using mobile communications.

Currently, only firefighters and maritime police officers have the authority.

The police have long insisted on having the right, saying a quick response to crimes is often impossible because they cannot access location information.


Stricter punishment on illegal fishing

The National Assembly on Wednesday approved a law for stricter punishment for illegal fishing in the West Sea amid tension over clashes between the Korean Coast Guard and Chinese fishermen.

Under the new law, the maximum fine for illegal fishing in Korean waters rises to 200 million won ($177,500) from 100 million won. It also states that fishermen cannot retrieve their fishing equipment confiscated by the Coast Guard.

Previously, with fishermen allowed to retrieve their equipment and relatively small fines, authorities had difficulty stemming illegal fishing.


OTC drugs to be sold at supermarkets

From as early as November, 20 kinds of over-the-counter drugs will be sold at supermarkets and 24-hour convenience stores for easier and wider access to medicines at night and during holidays.

OTC drugs are currently sold without a doctor’s prescription at pharmacies.

According to the revision of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, the 20 items will range from cough drops and digestion pills, to fever remedies, pain killers, menthol-pads and more.

They will be packaged in a daily-dosage unit and be sold for only one-day use to prevent abuse. Drug makers will be obliged to make clear the dosage on the packaging. The products will not be sold to children and will not be displayed next to food. Retailers will be given extra training for drug management.

The Minister of Health and Welfare will designate specific items this month through talks with consumer groups and medical experts.

The bill to ease the regulation of OCT drugs passed the National Assembly with 151 floor votes amid fierce resistance from chemists citing possible drug abuse. 


Curbing violence in parliament

The revision of the National Assembly Act aimed to curb fistfights among lawmakers by introducing a filibuster and tightening the rule of majority was finally made into law after weeks of heated debate and tough partisan negotiation.

The bill was drawn up by the ruling and opposition floor leaders in May last year in response to increased public disillusionment with scuffles among lawmakers.

Under the revision, a consensus from more than three-fifths of the National Assembly is needed to halt a filibuster, meaning at least 181 lawmakers must see eye-to-eye in the 300-member assembly.

In order to designate a specific bill to go through a fast-track vote, more than half of the members of the relevant standing committee or current lawmakers of the plenary session must demand it. The decision to approve the demand will be made upon an anonymous vote, requiring an approval by at least three-fifths of the members. A fast-track vote would allow a bill to automatically pass through the assembly’s standing committee within 180 days and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee within 90 days and be put to a vote at the final plenary session within 60 days.

According to the bill, a lawmaker who wishes to open an unlimited debate on a bill can do so with a signed agreement from one-third of the lawmakers.

An agreement from three-fifths can halt a filibuster, which is also automatically suspended when the relevant Assembly session ends.

Also, the National Assembly speaker can only railroad bills upon consensus among representatives of each negotiating party or when there is a natural disaster or state emergency such as war.

The bill also stipulates that the state budget bill will be automatically presented for a plenary vote if the debate is not completed by Nov. 30.

In addition, the chairman and rival representatives of the Legislative and Judiciary Committee can demand a certain bill pending for 120 days or over at the committee be automatically presented before the plenary session.

If there is opposition, the request will be a put to a vote among the members of the committee, requiring at least 60 percent approval in an anonymous vote.

By Lee Joo-hee, Bae Ji-sook, Shin Hyon-hee and Kim Young-won
(jhl@heraldcorp.com), (baejisook@heraldcorp.com), (heeshin@heraldcorp.com), (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)