The National Assembly Library announced Tuesday that it has published the 123rd edition of its fact book series, "Basic Laws of the Republic of Korea 2026," a 342-page volume.
South Korea has enacted 84 basic laws governing core areas of state administration, from the Small and Medium Enterprises Basic Act of 1966 to the Life Safety Basic Act passed in June 2026. The library compiled the current status and legislative history of these laws to serve as foundational reference material for lawmaking activities.
The fact book is organized into four chapters. The first covers the concept and scope of basic laws, a chronological list of all 84 statutes and their legislative histories, and a table showing whether each law includes key provisions such as guiding principles, responsibilities, plans and committees. The second chapter details major amendments and legislative purposes for basic laws under the jurisdiction of all 15 standing committees, along with their article structures and related legislation. The third compiles pending bills related to the enactment of basic laws currently under review in the 22nd National Assembly. The fourth provides a comprehensive bibliography of materials held by the National Assembly Library on the enactment of basic laws and proposed legislation.
Library Director Hwang Jeong-geun said in a foreword that "the role of basic laws in setting the direction of national policy is growing in importance amid a rapidly changing global environment and sweeping social transformation." He added that he hoped the fact book would "actively support the legislative activities of Assembly members, as well as be widely used in policy formulation by the government and in research by academia and the legal community."
The fact book will be distributed in print to Assembly members, standing committees and legislative support agencies including the National Assembly Secretariat. The full text is also available to read and download on the National Assembly Library website and its legislative resources portal.
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