Ministry of SMEs and Startups Holds 8th Special Zone Ombudsman Council Meeting

Discussion on the Progress and Operational Performance of Regulatory Free Zones

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 25th that it held the 8th Regulatory Free Zone Ombudsman Council.

Since 2019, the Ministry has designated Regulatory Free Zones to foster new industries and new technologies through regulatory innovation and to promote balanced regional development. It also operates the "Regulatory Free Zone Ombudsman" to support on-site communication and institutional improvements.

The Regulatory Free Zone Ombudsman is a private expert who has participated from the early stages of zone designation and is well acquainted with the characteristics and business directions of the zones. They serve as a bridge between the zones and the Ministry by quarterly checking the progress of demonstration projects and conveying on-site difficulties and suggestions.

At this council meeting, participants shared the progress and operational achievements of the zones and exchanged various opinions on current issues and solutions based on the key suggestions proposed by the ombudsmen for each zone.

Main topics included ▲ management of demonstration data and issues in the Daegu Mobile Collaborative Robot Zone ▲ regulatory relief for the pathogen resource shared research facility in the Daejeon Bio Medical Zone ▲ direct transaction plans for ESS power producers in the Gwangju Green Energy Zone ▲ and revitalization of urban logistics business in the Gyeongbuk Smart Green Logistics Zone.

The ombudsmen participating in the council expressed their expectations that the Regulatory Free Zones will serve as a driving force for creating new industries and balanced regional development, and promised to actively support the smooth progress of projects through their activities.

Kim Hong-ju, Head of the Zone Innovation Planning Group, stated, “We will strengthen communication between the Regulatory Free Zone Ombudsman and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to create opportunities for regional growth based on the zones’ achievements, and support ombudsman activities through thorough monitoring and follow-up management.”

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