The installation of park golf courses within the greenbelt will be officially permitted. The procedures for installing solar power generation facilities for dwellings in the greenbelt, which have previously required permits, will shift to a notification system. The procedure that required spousal consent when one partner collects and freezes eggs or sperm will also be eliminated.
On the 22nd, the government announced a plan to improve "national inconveniences and livelihood regulations" during a meeting on state affairs and economic issues chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Choi Sang-mok.
The government has been promoting the dismantling of killer regulations to enhance economic vitality, along with improving livelihood regulations to resolve citizen inconveniences. A government official noted, "We selected regulatory improvements to enhance the living conditions of local residents and alleviate everyday inconveniences."
First, the installation of park golf courses, which are seeing increased demand, will be permitted within the greenbelt. Current regulations allow the installation of outdoor sports facilities such as turf soccer fields, tennis courts, and gateball courts within the greenbelt. Park golf courses are considered to pose less risk of environmental damage like the permitted facilities. They also fall under the category of recreational sports facilities according to sports facility regulations. The government has decided to allow the installation of these park golf courses within the greenbelt, reflecting their characteristics and public demand.
The requirements for installing solar power generation facilities for dwellings within the greenbelt will also be changed from a permit system to a notification system. Under the current system, small-scale solar power generation facilities of 50 square meters or less can be installed without a permit; however, a permit is mandatory within the greenbelt. There have been complaints from residents regarding the lengthy local surveys and usage approval processes required to obtain a permit. As a result, the government improved the system so that small-scale solar power generation facilities of 50 square meters or less can be installed just by notifying the authorities for dwellings that have been built on land designated as "building sites" within the greenbelt.
The operating hours for mandatory automobile inspections will also be extended. Current regulations require non-business passenger vehicles to undergo a mandatory inspection once every five years for the first five years and every two years thereafter. Business passenger vehicles must have an inspection after two years and annually afterward. The problem is that, on Saturdays when inspection appointments are crowded, inspection hours are limited to 1 p.m., making it difficult to get inspected. In response, the government has decided to allow private inspection centers to extend their Saturday operating hours voluntarily until 4 p.m., and then gradually expand these hours further.
The regulation requiring spousal consent for collecting and freezing eggs and sperm will be abolished. Current laws state that while unmarried individuals can make their own decisions regarding the collection and freezing of eggs and sperm, married individuals must obtain spousal consent. Concerns have been raised that if there is a disagreement between spouses or if a spouse is absent, it could prevent the gathering of eggs and sperm, leading to missed opportunities for freezing. Criticism has arisen that married individuals are at a disadvantage compared to unmarried or de facto partners. Therefore, the government plans to revise the Bioethics and Safety Act to allow individuals to freeze their own eggs or sperm without requiring spousal consent.
Plans are also underway to expand support for dementia treatment costs for veterans to include general hospitals. Under current laws, veterans can only receive medical expense support for dementia treatment at six veterans' hospitals and 173 designated hospitals. This has created a blind spot for veterans who, living far from veterans' hospitals or designated hospitals, rely on general hospitals without access to support for dementia treatment management expenses. The government plans to include veterans in the target population for support in dementia treatment management expenses, allowing them to receive support at general hospitals.
The issue of excluding disabled workers on parental leave from the calculation of employment rates is also being addressed. In calculating the disability employment rate for obligated employment sites, workers on parental leave are excluded from the employment count, despite maintaining their employment relationship. This has raised concerns about disabled workers falling below the required employment rate, leading to reluctance to employ disabled individuals who may take parental leave, as well as hesitance among disabled workers to utilize parental leave. The government plans to improve the calculation method for disability employment burdens during parental leave so that no burden is incurred.
Plans are also being considered to enhance pet insurance by establishing a pet insurance database and incorporating new registration methods that include subcutaneous chips as "internal" methods and collars as "external" methods, along with biometric identification technologies such as nose prints or facial recognition.
Bang Gi-seon, head of the Government Coordination Office, said, "Old regulations that cause inconveniences in daily life still remain significantly in the field of livelihood," and added, "To enhance the quality of life for citizens, we will innovate unreasonable regulations that cause inconvenience and burden."