[Editorial] Amendments to the National Assembly Testimony and Appraisal Act Need Full Reconsideration

Concerns among frontline businesses and the broader business community are growing over the controversial amendment to the Act on Testimony, Appraisal, etc. before the National Assembly.

The amendment strengthens provisions so that when a person is asked by the National Assembly to submit documents or is requested to appear or provide an appraisal as a witness or reference, they may not refuse on grounds such as personal information protection or the protection of trade secrets. It also includes a provision expanding the scope of witnesses subject to companion orders from the current “National Assembly audits and parliamentary investigations” to “the review of important bills and hearings.”

In reality, administrative agencies—as well as companies and major industry associations subject to the management and supervision of those agencies—are already under considerable pressure from the legislature’s indiscriminate demands for materials. If this amendment to the Act on Testimony, Appraisal, etc. before the National Assembly is passed as well, it cannot be ruled out that companies’ core confidential information could be leaked externally through political channels, resulting even in weakened global competitiveness.

There is also significant concern that the repeated summoning of business leaders—an issue pointed out every year during the National Assembly audit—could become a year-round constant. If a matter truly requires fact-finding at the National Assembly level, then of course the attendance of business leaders may be necessary. However, one cannot help but question whether it is reasonable to have senior executives absent from management sites for an entire day simply to answer one or two questions that may not even be asked.

The business community has already publicly called for a full reconsideration of the Act on Testimony, Appraisal, etc. before the National Assembly. The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea has likewise expressed concerns about the law. Fortunately, political circles have also indicated the possibility of a review.

Given the current disorderly situation, the process of revisiting a bill already passed by the National Assembly may not be easy. But above all, what matters is finding solutions to restore our economy and the public’s livelihoods. We urge the government and the National Assembly to put their heads together and pool their wisdom to improve the amendment to the Act on Testimony, Appraisal, etc. before the National Assembly in a more prudent direction.

2024. 12. 17.

Center for Free Enterprise (CFE)

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Original title: [논평] 기밀 유출과 기업인 줄소환 부작용 우려되는 국회증감법 개정, 전면 재검토 필요하다

Author: Center for Free Enterprise (CFE)

Date: 2024-12-17

Source: https://www.cfe.org/bbs/bbsDetail.php?cid=comment&pn=2&idx=27180