One of the main objectives of noise control act is to define and ensure application and respect of
noise exposure limits. Most advanced countries have prepared a legal framework for noise limits either
by national laws, ordinances or municipal by-laws. A large number of advaced countries have adopted
the Leq index for the main sources of noise(road, railway, industry). The exception is aircraft noise for
which regulatory practice is highly disparate. These differences in the indices adopted, the periods and
areas to which regulations apply, definitions of measurement conditions and ways in which noise levels
are calculated make it difficult to compare the current advanced countries standards. This study presents
the current noise abatement policy of the advanced countries and proposes the improvement of the
current noise abatement policy of Korea to catch up with it of the advanced countries.