[Legal updates in Korea] New insurance mandate protects firefighters on the job

● Updated Law: Framework Act on Firefighting Services

What it does: Requires liability coverage for damage arising from firefighters' activities and strengthens preparations for emergency response

Took effect: Sept. 3

South Korea will require authorities to obtain liability coverage for damage arising from firefighters' activities in the field.

Under the revised law, the commissioner of the National Fire Agency and provincial and metropolitan governors must obtain insurance or mutual aid coverage to compensate for damage caused in the course of firefighters performing their duties.

The revision also establishes a legal basis for authorities to conduct surveys on building structures, uses and other relevant information to help firefighters respond swiftly to fires and accidents.

● Updated Law: Personal Information Protection Act

What it does: Strengthens penalties for repeated, serious privacy violations and expands notification requirements for personal data breaches

Took effect: Sept. 11

South Korea will strengthen corporate accountability for serious personal information breaches while expanding the circumstances in which individuals must be notified of potential violations.

Currently, notification is required when personal information is lost, stolen or leaked. Under the revised law, the requirement will also cover cases in which personal information is forged, altered or damaged.

Companies must also notify affected individuals when they become aware of a possible personal data leak, in an effort to prevent further harm.

For repeated and serious violations involving personal information, authorities will be able to impose administrative fines of up to 10 percent of a company's total revenue.

● Updated Law: Equal Employment Opportunity and Work-Family Balance Assistance Act

What it does: Expands leave related to a spouse's childbirth, miscarriage or stillbirth and broadens access to reduced working hours for childcare

Took effect: Sept. 18

South Korea will expand leave benefits for employees whose spouses are pregnant or giving birth, while making it easier for parents to use reduced working hours for childcare.

The existing paternity leave system will be expanded to cover the period before and after childbirth, allowing employees to begin taking leave up to 50 days before their spouse's expected delivery date.

Employees whose spouses experience a miscarriage or stillbirth will also be entitled to up to five days of leave, with the first three days paid.

The revision will also remove an employer's inability to hire a replacement worker as a permissible reason for denying a request for reduced working hours for childcare, broadening access to the program.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Government Legislation, The Korea Herald publishes a monthly feature introducing recently updated South Korean laws. The ministry's Easy Law service provides accessible summaries of Korean laws categorized by topic in English and 11 other languages: Arabic, Bengali, Cambodian, Simplified Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Mongolian, Nepali, Thai, Uzbek and Vietnamese. — Ed.