Infractions of administrative regulations will entail lighter punishment. For example, driving without carrying a driver's license will no longer be punishable.

The Justice Ministry decided to revise a total of 392 laws and rules under a plan for the rationalization of administrative penalties reported to the Presidential Council on National Competitiveness on Thursday. Employers will not be held criminally accountable for violations their employees have committed if they have fulfilled their duty to supervise staff properly.

Employers will be fined instead if they have been negligent in supervision but no longer face prison terms for their negligence. Businesses have said the regulation is a disincentive to ambitious business management.

In 2005, employers were punished in 27,481 cases for employees' crimes. The number was 34,887 in 2006 and 36,926 in 2007.

The ministry also decided to revise some 151 administrative regulations that have been a particular cause of grievances. Many violators of regulations were fined or detained for minor offenses, including driving without carrying a license, and given delinquent records.

The ministry decided to replace heavy fines and detention with default fines or to abolish punishment altogether.

The ministry said once the policy goes into effect, some 100,000 violators of administrative regulations will benefit every year. It is to submit a revision bill to the National Assembly by November, which will go into effect as early as next year.

(englishnews@chosun.com )