[Inside Chodong] The Devil Is in the Details

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] This is all because of the ‘Strange Lawyer Woo Young-woo.’ I have firmly believed that the awkward and stiff sentences in legal provisions and official documents are one of the main culprits of the destruction of the Korean language. But surprisingly, even sentences that cause mental confusion become quite enjoyable when the lovable and proud protagonist recites them with a rhythmic flow.

Above all, the rational communication of persuading and debating the interpretation of legal provisions provided a touching fulfillment of our thirst for fairness and rationality. Although I strongly dislike the ignorance and violence behind the phrase ‘Let’s just follow the law,’ the fantasy of standing with the weak and justice and doing things by the law was also exhilarating.

I want to live without having to know the law well, but living without knowing the law or without law is impossible. Our lives and everyday actions are already restricted by very detailed laws, rules, and guidelines. As someone in charge of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and ventures, I often meet business owners who are frustrated by these restrictions and regulations.

I believe and expect that many experts with professional insight and judgment participate, and after sufficient opinion gathering, discussions, and debates, laws, enforcement decrees, and enforcement rules are created by carefully considering all circumstances and logic. However, in reality, this is often far from the case.

On the 17th, the Korea Federation of SMEs held a ‘Great Debate on SME Regulatory Reform.’ It was a forum to share the difficulties of managing SMEs and propose improvement plans. Government officials such as Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Minister Lee Young of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Director-General Bang Moon-gyu of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, and Vice Minister Yoo Je-cheol of the Ministry of Environment participated.

The ‘Regulatory Reform Task Book’ of 484 pages delivered to Prime Minister Han contained 229 regulatory difficulties classified into 11 categories including environment, location, certification, reporting, startup, workforce, finance, and taxation. Although the volume was intimidating, after patiently skimming through it, here are some examples of the issues raised.

Since the environmental pollution control regulations were strengthened in July 2020, many asphalt concrete (Ascon) companies have been unable to meet the crackdown standards and faced becoming illegal operation facilities, so they appealed for a grace period. Currently, technology cannot reduce harmful substances to the levels stipulated by law, so the Ministry of Environment has been conducting a three-year research project on pollution prevention facility technology development since 2022, and they ask for leniency at least until then.

The food labeling standards set and announced by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety frequently change in terms of display methods such as letter spacing and paragraph changes, which are not directly related to consumer protection. Food companies face great inconvenience as they cannot use existing packaging materials or have to attach stickers each time, so they request to refrain from changes or to have a grace period to use up existing packaging materials.

To improve the distribution structure of medical devices, a system was introduced requiring distribution companies to report to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety every time medical devices are delivered from manufacturers to wholesalers, retailers, hospitals, etc. This system has been expanded even to consumable, low-risk items such as bandages and thermometers. This has increased the workload of small businesses, and since information such as medical device names and specifications is not standardized, causing confusion, they request selective reporting items and improvements to the registration system.

The regulatory authorities’ grand purpose of protecting the rights and interests of many citizens is lofty, but the logic is inconsistent and the effectiveness is quite weak. A single line in an enforcement decree causes the cries of many small business owners and SME entrepreneurs. The devil is in the details. To do it properly, even the small parts must be taken care of. The government, having received this homework, should no longer delay and deliver tangible improvements.

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