석면 정책 변동과정에 관한 연구

Abstract

This study attempts to review the ways in which the policy process for asbestos has been changed in South Korea by using the Kingdon multiple stream model. This study is focused upon the history, problems, policy intervention in Yeon-je gu in Busan as well as in the whole country including Chungnam asbestos mines areas and various asbestos related accidents in Seoul. The temporal scope of the study is from 1969 to the present time, but it focuses especially on the time span from 1971, when the asbestos factories in Yeon-je gu started operation to 2011 when the two major acts on asbestos diseases management were legislated. This study has examined the overall process of spreading the risk throughout the nation and the response of government and civil society in Korea. Moreover, it analyzed, through the multiple stream model, how various policy participants have interacted one another and they have formulated the asbestos policy. To get more concrete information about the asbestos policy change, Focus Group Interview was conducted. The overall asbestos policy change process can be categorized into three phases as followings. The first phases is the incubation period of asbestos risks, 1971-2003. At this period, the risk occurred in the asbestos textile plants was considered as a labor problem and occupational disease. The politic flow and the policy alternative flow were not joined and the policy changes did not occur at this time. The second phase is the revelation period of asbestos risks, 2004-2007. During the second phases, many asbestos diseases have been found all over the country, and the demand and complaints from the diseased workers and their families as well as ordinary citizens have been raised. The asbestos problems with the high risk have come to fore as a major social and policy issue. The solidarity between environment­labor civic groups and the victims of asbestos diseases has been formed in this period. Various policy and programs have been implemented responding to the complaints. The third phase is the institutional reaction period, 2008-2011. During this period, the asbestos disease has been spread into many places in Korea as an environmental disease. The government has been asked to compensate the sufferings besides the private companies. At this time, the politicians joined to legislate the new acts for the compensation and management of the asbestos diseases. This study shows the ways in which the overall process of policy changes for asbestos diseases in Korea has been developed. During three phases, many policy participants have interacted and formulated policy networks and their solidarity. As the multiple stream policy model implies, the streams of policy problems, alternatives and politics related with asbestos diseases in Korea have been unfolded separately. With the critical efforts of politicians, public officials and civic groups, the three streams can be combined and open the policy window for legislating the new acts. This study suggests that policy leader needs to make an effort to combine three different policy streams to make a significant policy initiative.