Industrial Deregulation in Farming Areas Recommended

A government-business task force on deregulation said yesterday that it has drawn up measures to resolve 189 corporate grievances among 237 filed from April through this month.

Jointly run by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Presidential Council on National Competitiveness, the task force has conducted about 50 onsite inspections and some 100 meetings with provincial businesses since April last year. The team has made 280 deregulatory proposals.

Many businesses urged deregulation of development in and around Seoul and Gyeonggi Province and measures to boost economies in other regions, according to the task force. They also wanted deregulation of plant locations and environmental rules nationwide.

Reflecting demand for deregulation of plant expansion in farming areas, the task force said it will revise existing laws or enact new ones on deregulation. Deregulation will come in Hanam and other areas of Gyeonggi Province to help develop an industrial logistical complex.

In addition, the task force proposed that rules be eased for companies located in zones designated for water quality conservation to allow them to build or expand facilities releasing copper waste. Under law, only plants operating in the zones can expand facilities on the condition that they can prevent release of the waste.

Yoo Hee-sang, the chief deregulatory official of the council, said, “Due to development of environmental technologies, we decided that plants meeting certain qualifications should be allowed to build or expand facilities. Through consultations with the Environment Ministry, we plan to draw up concrete standards by the end of the year.”

If implemented, the deregulation will likely allow certain companies to build or expand plants, including Hynix Semiconductor.

imsun@donga.com