Fines for Facilities Refusing to Submit Data... Efforts to Strengthen Authority to Investigate Abuse of Disabled

Rep. Kim Ye-ji of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee has introduced a representative amendment to the Welfare of Disabled Persons Act that would impose fines on residential facilities for the disabled that refuse to submit data, such as CCTV footage, during investigations. The move aims to address difficulties faced in timely investigations during a suspected abuse incident at a facility in Sejong last year, when the facility's refusal to submit data hindered the process.

Under current regulations, disability rights advocacy agencies struggle to secure essential data such as CCTV footage on their own, citing personal information protection laws, unless accompanied by investigative authorities. The absence of sanction regulations for facilities refusing to submit data has created gaps in investigations and victim protection.

The amendment includes provisions for imposing fines, as well as realistic criteria for financial support for personnel operations at disability rights advocacy agencies, aggravated sentencing for facility heads and workers convicted of abusing disabled persons, and the designation of staff at victim shelters as mandatory reporters.