Jin Joong-kwon: "Lee Jae-myung's 'Restaurant Total Quantity System' Is an Idea Only Possible in Communist Countries"

Lee: "Opening restaurants recklessly and failing is not freedom" → "It does not mean pledging and implementing"
Jin Joong-kwon: "We should not proceed with the idea of regulating only the total amount as a result"

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, visited Sinwon Market in Gwanak-gu, Seoul on the 27th and shook hands with a merchant.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Soyoung] Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon strongly criticized the 'total restaurant permit quota system' mentioned by Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, calling it "an idea only possible in a communist country."

On the 28th, Jin appeared on CBS Radio's 'Hanpan Seungbu' and said, "No country can beat the market by imposing regulations without any measures addressing the fundamental causes."

He sharply stated, "Leaving structural causes unattended and simply limiting the number is an idea only possible in a communist country."

He continued, "In Korea, the proportion of self-employed people is very high among OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries. The reason is that the labor market itself is unstable," adding, "These people did not enter the market dreaming of self-employment and competition. They are people who had no choice but to open businesses after being forced into early retirement."

He pointed out, "In Western countries, laying off older workers is considered a loss of know-how. However, in Korea, such actions are called restructuring or management efficiency, and there is a culture that does not properly evaluate labor."

Jin emphasized, "The government should make efforts regarding these issues," and added, "If you do nothing about that and just try to regulate the total amount, you should not proceed with such an idea."

On the afternoon of June 20th, former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon is giving a special lecture at the founding general meeting of the 'Hope 22 Companion Forum' held at a cafe in Dalseo-gu, Daegu.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

He also said, "In Western countries, there are cases where (restaurants) are restricted. For example, in Germany where I lived, bakeries are limited so that they are not packed closely together," adding, "There is a guild system there. It has some tradition."

He explained, "In tourist spots like Rome, restaurants are limited to prevent a decline in quality caused by their proliferation. Such restrictions are made for these special purposes," and said, "If you have to get a permit to start a self-employed business like this (as Lee’s plan suggests), it will eventually become like a taxi license."

Earlier, on the 27th, Lee said at a nationwide meeting with small business owners and self-employed people held at Sinwon Market in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, "I am considering operating a total restaurant permit quota system," adding, "Opening restaurants recklessly and failing is not freedom. Although it was said that it cannot be done because it infringes on autonomy, the quota system itself is not bad."

In response to the controversy, Lee took a step back on the 28th, saying, "I briefly considered it when I was the mayor of Seongnam, but it did not mean that I intended to introduce it as a national policy, make it a public debate, or include it in my campaign promises."

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