‘Goo Hara Law’ Finally Passed After Six Years, Set for Plenary Session on the 28th

On the 27th, the National Assembly’s Judiciary Committee passed the ‘Goo Hara Law’, a civil code amendment that denies inheritance rights to parents who fail to fulfill their child-rearing responsibilities.

The Judiciary Committee approved the ‘Goo Hara Law’ during a plenary session in the afternoon. The bill will be put to a vote during the full session on the 28th.

The purpose of the ‘Goo Hara Law’ is to include provisions for revoking inheritance rights in cases where a person neglects their responsibilities towards a minor or commits grave offenses against the deceased or their direct descendants. This amendment to the existing civil law expands the scope of inheritance disqualification to encompass those who significantly neglect their duties towards their direct descendants.

The law was proposed by Goo Hara’s older brother, Goo Ho-in, in response to the contentious request made by Goo Hara’s biological mother for half of her inheritance despite not fulfilling her responsibilities as a parent. It was named after Goo Hara, who was abandoned by her mother at the age of 9, and later sought inheritance after her death in 2019.

Despite being introduced during the 20th National Assembly, the bill failed to make progress due to the end of the term. However, in April, the Constitutional Court declared the system of forcing a certain percentage of inheritance to siblings against the deceased’s will as unconstitutional, which hastened the advancement of the ‘Goo Hara Law.’

Despite making significant progress in the 21st National Assembly, the bill was ultimately not passed in the full session due to disagreements on key issues. However, after two years, the Ministry of Justice reintroduced the bill in June 2022 and it has now successfully passed the bill committee.

Democratic Party Representative Seo Young-ky, who led the effort in passing the bill, stated, “After approximately six years, the ‘Goo Hara Law’ has been successfully passed. I am hopeful that if it is approved in tomorrow’s plenary session, we will not have to deal with similar issues in the future.”

Even after her passing, Goo Hara’s bravery in aiding the investigation of corruption surrounding the Burning Sun incident was acknowledged. Her former group, KARA, has recently made a comeback with new music that includes her voice, keeping her memory alive.

The source of the information can be found on the website of Daum.