Seongnam-si and Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Receive 'Excellent Business Environment Area Certification'

KCCI Presents 'Certificate of Excellent Business Environment Area'

Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Seongnam City and Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province have received the 'Excellent Business Environment Certification' awarded by the business community.

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on the 11th that it visited Seongnam City Hall and Namyangju City Hall in Gyeonggi Province to present the '2019 Excellent Business Environment' certificates and plaques.

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Excellent Business Environment evaluation is a project that assesses the business environment of 228 local governments nationwide. It consists of two parts: 'Business Perception,' which surveys corporate satisfaction with local government administrative services, and 'Economic Activity Friendliness,' which analyzes ordinances and regulations related to business activities of local governments. Each year, the top local government in each category and the one with the most improvements receive the 'Excellent Business Environment Certification.'

In this year's evaluation, Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province ranked first in the Business Perception category, and Namyangju City ranked first in the Economic Activity Friendliness category. Gunwi County and Seongju County in Gyeongbuk Province, which made the most environmental improvements compared to the previous year, received the 'Most Improved' certification.

Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province was ranked within the top 50 in Business Perception last year but rose to first place overall this year as a result of efforts to resolve difficulties faced by local companies. Seongnam City cited 'innovation competition' as the key to its top ranking.

In 'Pangyo Technovalley,' known as a cradle of innovation, about 10 innovative products were launched last year, including services that measure the size of human organs such as kidneys and liver using AI, and kitchen facilities utilizing wireless technology. Active administration, such as negotiating with the military airfield to establish the nation's first drone test flight zone within controlled airspace, contributed to receiving favorable evaluations from local companies.

Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province ranked first for two consecutive years in the corporate friendliness evaluation for the first time. This year, it scored full marks in 7 out of 10 evaluation categories, receiving the highest score nationwide. Namyangju City is a region that actively improves systems to attract businesses despite unfavorable conditions with overlapping regulations such as development restriction zones and special measures for water source protection areas.

It is evaluated that Namyangju City communicates frequently with local companies by easing industrial complex entry requirements for companies wishing to move in and expanding water facilities to solve water shortages in factory-dense areas, thereby promoting investment attraction and resolving corporate difficulties.

Namyangju City stated, "Being the first in the nation to rank first for two consecutive years in economic activity friendliness is a valuable achievement made possible through cooperation between businesspeople and the city council," and added, "We will create a business-friendly, economically self-sufficient city by developing a high-tech industrial complex of 1.4 million square meters in Wangsuk 1 District, twice the size of Pangyo Technovalley, and providing unprecedented tax benefits."

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, "During the six years of evaluation, many outdated local government ordinances have been improved, increasing the proportion of local governments with high business perception ratings compared to the past, and corporate satisfaction has steadily increased," and added, "We hope that the business environment improvement cases of Seongnam City and Namyangju City, which received certification today, will spread nationwide and that local governments' efforts to improve the business environment will expand."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.