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With the conflict between Japan and South Korea getting more intense (Chemlinked News [1]), the South Korea’s Ministry of Environment (MoE) has become the target of domestic media, despite Moe’s best efforts to exonerate itself (Chemlinked News [2]). On 29th July, Korea Economic Daily published a report [3] titled "The Ministry of the Environment, which has delayed the localization of semiconductor materials, has increased its workforce by 25% in 3 years." In the report, four major grievances were outline:
CCA and K-REACH were arbitrarily formulated without communication with industry.
MoE is planning to publish the trade secrets of semiconductor etching material manufacturers.
SMEs are complaining that the cost of compliance with K-REACH is too high.
The workforce of MoE has increased from 1889 in 2016 to 2362 in 2019, up 25% in 3 years.
On the same day, MoE released an explanation [4] responding to these grievances:
By listing the meetings and seminars held during the drafting of K-REACH, specifically the public consultation periods, MoE proved that CCA and K-REACH were both formulated and revised after a series of negotiations with industry and other stakeholders.
MoE also denied allegations that CCA requires disclosure of trade secrets and outlined CCA mechanisms which allow manufacturers to apply to MoE to protect confidential information.
MoE declared that preferential policies had been implemented to support SMEs, including exemptions, low cost Hazchem data and provision of a registration consulting service.
Regarding MoE staffing issues, MoE explained that most staff were hired after government restructuring and the rest were employed to enhance environmental protection and national welfare. MoE also pointed to their rigorous hiring policies.
Finally MoE announced that it would persevere in defending the principles and objectives of chemical regulations and strengthen the communication with public at the same time.
