The National Fire Safety Code (NFSC) sets forth the installation methods and technical standards of firefighting facilities. This information is stipulated in the attached Table 1 of the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Fire Prevention and Installation, Maintenance and Safety Control of Fire-Fighting Systems. The NFSC serves as a foundation for fire prevention and public safety. However, the current version of the NFSC has been under scrutiny due to its delayed enactment and revision process. This is because of its structural inflexibility, time-consuming procedures, and mixed usage of both performance and technical standards. Furthermore, there are difficulties with keeping its unique specialties due to the absence of a specialized, permanent independent entity that enacts, revises, and maintains its standards. Moreover, the NFSC lacks collectivity, openness, and consistency. Therefore, to overcome the aforementioned obstacles, this study investigates the operational and legal status of the NFSC and the problems regarding its enactment and revision process. Further, it presents suggestions for system improvement by analyzing and comparing the information with domestic and foreign counterparts dedicated to managing their similar technical NFSC standards. First, the study recommends that the legal performance and technical standards mixed within the current NFSC should be separated. Second, the enactment and revision of technical standards should be implemented by the private sector and not by the government. Third, technical standards should adopt a user-oriented approach for the code system.
Scope and application of the national electrical safety code