소비자전문상담사 활성화를 위한 소비자기본법의 개정방향

Abstract

Consumer-specialized counselor have been authorized pursuant to the Act on National Technical Licenses since the start of the first consumer- specialized counselors exam in 2003. However, as the consumer-specialized counselor exam was enforced pursuant to the Act on National Technical Licenses without any basis under the Consumer Basic Act, the current situation sees no empowerment in the license system on consumer counseling as a means to improve the level of counseling. The consumer counseling system is separated into the Consumer Basic Act and it is difficult to establish the consumer-specialized counselor in the right position and to educate them for a continuously changing market. More progress is needed in the development of the consumer counseling system. It is necessary to provide a basis in the Consumer Basic Act and make an effort to activate the role of the consumer-specialized counselor at the governmental level. This study presented the direction of amendments to the Consumer Basic Act to activate the role of the consumer- specialized counselor based on a review of the current situation of the present consumer-specialized counselor system the background of similar license systems, and an analysis of the problems in the consumer-specialized counselor scheme. The main policy directions of this study are as follows: First, to manage the quality of the licenses, it is necessary to stipulate the related provisions of the consumer-specialized counselor provided for in the current Act on National Technical Licenses and in the Consumer Basic Act. Second, it is necessary to specify the related provisions to establish the Consumer Affairs center installed in 17 Korean cities and provinces on the basis of the rules in each of the self-governing bodies in the Consumer Basic Act and expand it to the level of cities, districts, and counties to provide small local areas the opportunity to improve the welfare of consumers. Third, after the acquisition of a consumer-specialized counselor license, it is necessary to help enhance the ability of the counselor in charge of consumers to understand changes in the consumer- oriented era through regular supplementary training. Fourth, the employment of a consumer- specialized counselor in a department related to the consumer counseling of a private companies is recommended.