The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced a legislative notice for the amendment of the Enforcement Decree and Rules of the National Technical Qualifications Act on April 15.The amendment to the Enforcement Decree and Rules of the National Technical Qualifications Act, which was legislatively noticed by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 15th, must be withdrawn immediately.

The main purpose of this legislative proposal is to ease the requirement for the professional engineer (기술사) qualification, reducing the required experience from four years after obtaining a professional engineer technician (기사) qualification to two years, under the pretext of expanding opportunities for young people to obtain qualifications and reflecting industry demand.

This proposed law has been packaged with unrealistic, armchair optimism without considering the potential harm it could cause if realized.

In response, field engineers and experts have expressed significant concern, stating that it undermines the essence of the professional engineer system, goes against global standards, and weakens technical capabilities. The key issues that this amendment could lead to are as follows:

First, it undermines the 'practical responsibility' that is the essence of a professional engineer.

A professional engineer is not merely an intellectual; they are the final authority who reviews and signs off on designs and constructions directly related to public safety, based on accumulated experience. Technical judgment cannot be perfected through theory alone; it requires absolute physical time to develop the 'Engineering Judgment' gained by experiencing countless variables in the field.

If engineers with only two to three years of limited experience sign off on blueprints, the risk of faulty designs and major accidents will inevitably increase. This will lead to a downward leveling of national safety capabilities and directly contradict the intent of the 'Serious Accidents Punishment Act'.

Second, this policy is contrary to global standards (PE).

Developed countries such as the United States (PE) and the United Kingdom (Chartered Engineer) strictly manage practical experience when granting professional engineer qualifications. In the U.S., NCEES requires a minimum of four years of experience after graduation from an ABET-accredited program and passing the FE exam.

While South Korea, as a full member of the Washington Accord, has strived for the international recognition of its technical qualifications, halving the experience requirements compared to developed countries is tantamount to admitting that Korea's technical standards are lower than international benchmarks.

Third, there is concern about the devaluation of market value due to the excessive issuance of licenses.

Simply increasing supply and lowering the entry barrier tarnishes the rarity and authority of professional engineers, who are at the apex of the engineering profession. In a situation where the status of professional engineers has already declined compared to the past, this measure will further diminish their value, leading to the counterproductive effect of deterring excellent talent from pursuing the qualification.

If genuine capability enhancement is desired, instead of shortening the experience period, a developed country-style model should be adopted, such as legislating 'specialized education programs' or 'mentoring systems' for the period between obtaining a technician qualification and becoming a professional engineer.

Fourth, it is a hasty administrative action focused on administrative achievements.

This proposed amendment is difficult to escape criticism for prioritizing administrative convenience and achievements like 'youth employment indicators' or 'qualification acquisition figures' over the voices of the industry.

While developed countries emphasize ethical responsibility and trust-building, government policies are solely focused on numerical expansion of entry. Furthermore, the lack of adequate consultation processes, such as public hearings, despite the existence of 15 ministries and the 60-year-old Professional Engineers Association, represents a significant procedural flaw.

In conclusion, the relaxation of professional engineer requirements is an act that disregards the engineering ecosystem where 'experience is skill', and it carries a high risk of leading to a decline in international standing, national industrial competitiveness, and public safety. Before advocating for qualification expansion, the Ministry of Employment and Labor must first assess the realistic treatment of engineers and the actual utilization of their licenses. Therefore, this legislative notice must be withdrawn and re-examined from scratch.

The government should, without delay, retract what has been legislatively noticed and prepare realistic improvement measures from the ground up, rather than inviting greater trouble.

◆ Professor Park Jeong-bong

Director of the Korea Professional Engineers Association, Visiting Professor at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Doctor of Engineering