Korea helps Myanmar launch new legal database system

Korea’s Legislation Ministry shared its technology to launch a new legal database access system in Myanmar, the ministry said on Tuesday.

On May 24, Myanmar launched Myanmar Law Information System which allows people to search the country’s legal information via computer and mobile applications. Korea’s Ministry of Legislature cooperated with Myanmar government to establish the system, first developed here and called the National Law Information Center of Republic of Korea. 

Legislation Minister Kim Oe-sook visited Myanmar from May 22 to 24, to attend the launching event of the MLIS, hosted by Myanmar’s Union Attorney General’s Office.

“I’m glad South Korea has played a role in helping Myanmar’s drive to open their legal system to the public in a transparent manner to bring about fundamental changes to the society,” Kim said at the event held at Naypyidaw, Myanmar on May 24.

“I believe the MLIS would serve as a vital foundation for the country to establish legalism and it would also aid in investment promotions to accelerate the nation’s economic development.”

The new system has transferred all legal information stipulated on paper into an electronic format. It allows easy access to some 5,000 files of legal data, which include the country’s Constitution, regulations, judicial precedents, past treaties and municipal ordinances, for everyone who has a computer or a mobile application. While all the data is compiled in Burmese, 375 bills are also available in English.

U Tun Tun Oo, the Attorney General of the Union Attorney General’s Office in Myanmar, delivered his appreciation to the South Korean government in the event.

“The new MLIS system will provide easier access to the people the vast amount of legal information that are being established via the government’s open democracy policies.”

The attorney general also said training on how to use the system will be available to officials of Myanmar’s central administrative agencies and 14 state governments. 

Myanmar politicians and businessmen also welcomed the launch of the new legal system, citing their previous difficulties in accessing the labor and tax laws.

The implementation of MLIS took three years, starting from 2016, and cost $3.65 million, funded by Korea International Cooperation Agency, according to the ministry.

The ministry said it first established a medium-term plan and then collected Myanmar’s basic law and regulations and introduced the legal information retrieval system there.

It will provide technical support for the next one year, and train the officials of Myanmar government so that they can operate the system on their own, it added.

The Legislation Ministry said it is also planning to cooperate with other countries that are interested in Korea’s National Law Information Center.

Upon the request from Mongolia’s Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, Korea’s Legislation Ministry has started a consulting project there.

In the second half of this year, the ministry will also discuss plans to cooperate with Indonesia.

“Korea’s National Law Information Center is an innovative system which allows everyone access to the country’s legal information in its latest version anytime and anywhere. It has become one of the world best legal systems,” Kim said.

“If this system is adopted by other countries, it would contribute to the law-imposed administration and economic development of the countries and also provide practical help to Korean companies, investors and Koreans that are using the laws and regulations of the counties.”

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)