Gov`t plans to allow online orders for duty-free liquors

The government plans to allow passengers using Korean carriers for overseas trips to order duty-free liquors in advance via the Internet, starting late this month. The government also plans to allow them to get certificates for their immigration information at overseas missions of Korea.

The government-civilian task force reported deregulation proposals including those to a state policy coordination meeting Friday. The task force is a joint body between the Office of the Prime Minister and the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the Korean Federation of Small and Medium Businesses.

The task force concluded 82 deregulation proposals and nine grievances from businesses. The government plans to implement those measures one after another by revising relevant regulations.

First, the task force proposed to allow passengers flying Korean flights to place online orders for duty-free liquors, allowing domestic carriers to earn 4.4 billion won (4.1 million U.S. dollars) in additional revenues. The proposal will likely be put into effect in late November.

The government also plans to allow microbiological manufacturers to open production facilities on agricultural complexes, starting August next year. Considering that the land prices on those complexes are up to 33 percent lower than ordinary land, relevant companies are expected to be able to save considerable amounts of expenses.

The deregulatory proposals also include measures to support small and medium businesses and merchants in receiving more favorable credit ratings and interest rate conditions. Some 5,100 businesses (as of 2011) are expected to benefit from the measures. The 1,000 won (about one dollar) fee for the issuances of certificates for state technical license tests will also be abolished.

In addition, the government plans to limitedly allow trucks carrying heavy freight at industrial complexes to run on regular roads and port lighting facilities to use cheaper industrial electricity, starting June 2014.