[2020 National Audit] "Sikjajae Mart is a Predator of Local Markets"... Ambiguity in Applying Legal Regulations

Need for Agreement and Win-Win Solutions

Park Young-sun, Minister of SMEs and Startups, is responding to questions related to food ingredient marts during the comprehensive audit of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups at the Industry, Trade, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee held at the National Assembly on the 8th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daeseop] "There needs to be an agreement between the National Assembly, small business owners, and operators on how to handle medium-sized marts going forward."

Park Young-sun, Minister of SMEs and Startups, stated this on the 8th during the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' audit at the Industry, Trade, and SMEs Committee of the National Assembly, adding, "We need to examine whether medium-sized marts should be classified as small business owners and SMEs, or if they should be addressed on the same level under the same concept, and whether there are any win-win solutions."

Minister Park made these remarks in response to People Power Party lawmaker Choi Seung-jae of the Industry, Trade, and SMEs Committee, who pointed out, "After regulating large marts, food material marts have become predators of neighborhood commercial districts. The bad practices of large marts are continuing in food material marts."

Lawmaker Choi emphasized, "I have heard that the annual sales of one food material mart in the metropolitan area reach 200 to 300 billion won. I urge the Minister of SMEs and Startups to investigate the damage situation related to neighborhood commercial districts."

Minister Park responded, "There were questions about food material marts during last year's audit as well, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups has looked into it. Food material marts are a concept of medium-sized marts, and the operators are classified as SMEs. In fact, regarding the current Distribution Industry Development Act, it is difficult to apply restrictions such as operating hours comparable to those for large marts."

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