Abstract
This thesis analyses the dynamics of biocidal regulations in South Korea. South Korean biocidal regulation, the Consumer Chemical Products and Biocides Safety Control Act (CCPBSCA) is similar to the EU’s biocidal regulation, the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR). Hence, this thesis analyses why these biocidal regulations were similarly designed, focusing on isomorphism and the institutions, policy learning and risk communications as impacting factors on the CCPBSCA design were analysed based on extant research.A historical case study and a thematic analysis harnessing interviews and literature reviews were performed revealing that three factors affected the South Korean biocidal regulations leading to their similarity with the BPR. Although not a direct factor in the design of the biocidal regulation, public institutions were catalysts for enacting strict biocidal regulation. Private institutions also indirectly affected the CCPBSCA design and were associated with the strict regulation of the BPR causing coercive isomorphism in the CCPBSCA design. Policy learning was an overarching factor affecting the policy design and led to the similarity between the biocidal regulations. Specifically, the CCPBSCA was designed through an evaluation of the problems regarding the Act on Registration, Evaluation, etc. of Chemicals (ARECs) and the discussion of alternative policy tools. It was also the direct result of introspection and reflection on the humidifier disinfectant incident (HDI) since as the number of victims increased, the incident worked as a focusing event, attention was refocused and discussions to prevent similar incidents became animated occurring positive feedback. The Act was enacted centring on professionals with expertise indicating normative isomorphism. Moreover, as South Korea did not have a long history of biocidal regulation, it was difficult to find precedents. Accordingly, South Korea benchmarked the EU's BPR to reduce uncertainty and this process shows mimetic isomorphism. Regarding risk communication, sufficient deliberation and active participation occurred between policymakers and stakeholders. Various stakeholders participated in the policy design process and civic groups insisted public safety protection in the process. Thus, the CCPBSCA was rigorously designed. However, the risk communication affected the policy design but not isomorphism.
The thesis contributes to the expansion of research on policy design and isomorphism by the theoretical combining of institution, policy learning, and risk communication. In particular, previous studies have underscored that isomorphism occurring under different contexts frequently led to side effects and inconsistencies. However, effective isomorphism can also occur in different contexts and this thesis supplements existing literature by exploring the impacting factors. This thesis also contributes to the theoretical expansion of policy research by illuminating that policy learning can be linked with the punctuated equilibrium theory and the agenda setting theory and that the combination can profoundly and analytically explain the policy process.
| Date of Award | 1 Aug 2024 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Andrew Massey (Supervisor) & Olga Siemers (Supervisor) |