The government said Thursday it will force chemical manufacturers to close down their business sites if they are responsible for accidents three times in a row within a certain time frame, in response to a series of recent chemical leaks.
In its 2013 policy plan reported to President Park Geun-hye, the Ministry of Environment said it will introduce the so-called “three-strike system,” which is expected to be adopted as early as the end of next year, and will forcibly revoke the business rights of such manufacturers.
Ministry officials said they will review related statistics before deciding the exact length of the period.
The ministry said it will also adopt a system to oblige polluters to fully compensate their victims by strictly applying a principle of mandating polluters be financially responsible for environmental disasters.
The manufactures that handle toxic materials must also get insurance policies that cover environmental damage beyond their compensation ability, they added.
The toughened regulation comes as the nation has seen a series of chemical-related accidents in recent months, including a fatal leakage from Samsung Electronics Co.’s chip plant in January that killed one worker.
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