The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on Oct. 14 (OECD) hailed Korea's extended online participation in all consultations, review and reduction of regulatory burdens on SMEs, and regulatory sandboxes in its Regulatory Policy Outlook 2021. (Captured from OECD homepage)
By Kim Hyelin and Yoon Sojung
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has named Korea, the U.K. and France as world leaders in responding to COVID-19 through regulation.
According to the Office for Government Policy Coordination in Seoul on Oct. 14, the OECD praised Korea’s extended online participation in all consultations, review and reduction of regulatory burdens on SMEs, and regulatory sandboxes in the OECD Regulatory Policy Outlook 2021.
The OECD also mentioned Korea's drive- and walk-thru testing systems, "3T" (test, trace and track) containment strategy, and management of lifestyle treatment support centers.
In a separate box inside the report, the OECD said, "Korea's containment strategy was based on testing, tracing and treatment," adding, "Testing has involved innovative methods such as drive-through and walk-through testing facilities."
"Korean authorities conducted rigorous epidemiological investigations in accordance with legal procedure, using credit card transactions, CCTV recordings and GPS data on mobile phones when necessary."
Saying the nation has never imposed a lockdown, the report added, "Instead, the government urged citizens to comply with distance measures and encouraged employees to work from home."
On the U.K., the report cited the British government's decision in March last year to quickly enact emergency legislation granting police, immigration officers and public health officials the authority to prohibit and restrict gatherings and public events to curb the spread of the virus.
Turning to France, the report cited the French legislature's adoption of an emergency law on the pandemic and declaration of a national health emergency, allowing more government authority to restrict freedom of movement. It also commended government measures to support French companies hit hard by the coronavirus.
Every three years, the OECD releases a regulatory policy outlook that includes assessments of regulatory policy, regulatory watchdogs and related international cooperation among its member countries. In the latest report, Korea ranked second to seventh in the categories of stakeholders, regulatory impact assessment and ex post evaluation, similar to the nation's rankings of third to sixth in 2018.
kimhyelin211@korea.kr
