Gov`t to Simplify Regulations for Industrial Parks

President Lee Myung-bak said on March 13 that, “I am determined to clear up bureaucratic stumbling blocks that hamper business entrepreneurship one by one by the end of this year.”

“We can halve the number of government regulations by amending guidelines, presidential decrees and ministerial ordinances, even without amending laws,” Lee stressed in the opening speech during the first meeting of the national competitiveness committee, held in the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae yesterday.

He also said in a closing speech, “Too much intervention of the president may cause unease and worries (among some government officials). Nevertheless, I will not be fooled by those who try to muddle through.”

In the meeting, the special committee on improving national competitiveness came up with plans to simplify regulations to speed up the approval process for new industrial complexes, and decided to drastically cut the time needed to authorize industrial parks to less than six months from the current two to four years.

The special committee is composed of 35 members, including Sakong Il, chairman of the committee, David Eldon, co-chair of the committee and chairman of the Dubai International Finance Center, Lee Han-koo, head of Grand National Party`s policy committee, Cho Seok-rae, chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), Sohn Kyung-sik, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Lee Hee-beom, chairman of the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), Kim Ki-mun, chairman of the Korea Federation of Small & Medium Business (Kbiz), Lee Soo-Young, chairman of the Korea Employers Federation (KEF), Chang Seok-chun, chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, Kim Jin-sun, governor of Gangwon Province, William Oberlin, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in Korea, Jean-Jacques Grauhar, chairman of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea (EUCCK) and Murakami Masaki, chairman of the Seoul Japan Club.

swpark@donga.com