(1) Reasons for Proposal
The Amendment aims to promote the revision of Article 2 of the Rules so as to designate three new business types (escape room, kids, and comic book cafes) as publicly used establishments, to supplement shortcomings in the handling of tasks, such as the conditions to be exempt from being required to install walls or partitions, and to formulate legal grounds for verifying some civil administrative documents through the administrative information system.
(2) Major Provisions
A. Designation of New Business Types (Room Escape, Kids, and Comic Book Cafes) as Publicly used Establishments and Submission of Electrical Safety Inspection Certificates (Articles 2 and 11)
1) As new business types (room escape cafe, kids cafe, etc.) have recently increased and fire risk assessments of them have been conducted, it is necessary to designate those three business types whose assessment scores are below the reference point as publicly used establishments.
* (Risk) Their internal structure is complex due to the number of partitioned rooms, their doors are locked with locking devices or fire handling exposes them to a high risk of fire, and it is difficult to conduct emergency evacuations of these establishments, giving rise to concerns over many casualties in case of fire.
* (Risk assessment results) Fire frequency index (20 points) × Fire severity index (30 points) = 600 points (reference point: 216 points)
/ Room escape cafes 176.72 points, kids cafes 191.86 points, comic book cafes 163.73 points.
2) Therefore, strengthen the safety control by means such designating the three business types as publicly used establishments and requiring them to submit electrical safety inspection certificates so as to reduce casualties in case of fire.
* (Publicly used establishments) Install safety facilities such as basic sprinkler systems, emergency exits, evacuation passageways inside the place of business, etc., ensure that interior decorations are made of inflammable or semi-inflammable materials, mandate the subscription to fire liability insurance, and obligate business owners to undergo fire-fighting safety education, etc.
* (Casualty) Fire in Polish escape room cafe (Jan. 4, 2019 / five deaths), Fire in Russian kids cafe (Mar. 25, 2018 / 65 deaths)
B. Preparation of Legal Grounds Necessary for the Joint Use of Administrative Information (Article 11)
1) Shortcomings in the legal grounds for the joint use of administrative information causes inconvenience for the civil petitioner, requiring them to issue and submit required documents (electrical safety inspection certificate) in person
2) Allow the public officials in charge to verify documents using the administrative information network.
C. Correction of an Error (Article 25-2)
1) Modify Article 11-2 to Article 11-3 in subparagraph 1
D. Supplement the shortcomings in task handling such as installing emergency exits, the conditions to be exempt from being required to install walls or partitions, etc.
1) In light of the changing times, it is necessary to alter the definition of a long side as the standard for installing emergency exits due the change in the shape of building structures to various forms to make an amendment to ensure that the minimum space and area are secured where balconies and ancillary rooms are to be installed.
2) Therefore, prevent the location of emergency exits from facing the same direction as the main entrance or from being a short distance according to the shape of the building structure, and ensure that the balconies and ancillary rooms are used for emergency exits in case of fire to secure the minimum space and area, thereby enhancing evacuation safety.
3) In addition, allow the game services, etc. within amusement facility businesses installed indoors to be exempt from being required to install walls, partitions, etc. so as to vitalize VR theme parks (provided that this is limited to the cases where the amusement facility businesses installed indoors are equipped with safety facilities, etc.)
