Fair Trade Commission Chairman: "I Will Listen to the Industry's Views on the Platform Act"

Han Ki-jung, Chairman of the Fair Trade Commission, announced that he will "arrange additional communication opportunities" during the promotion process of the 'Platform Fair Competition Promotion Act (hereinafter referred to as the Platform Act),' which has sparked controversy over reverse discrimination against domestic companies.

Chairman Han said at the New Year meetings held consecutively with the heads of six economic organizations from the 15th to the 18th, "We ask economic organizations to actively cooperate so that the purpose of enacting the Platform Act can be well understood." During meetings with each organization head, he explained the purpose and content of the Platform Act promotion, announced through the Cabinet meeting report in December last year, as well as the stance on misunderstandings from some quarters.

Han Ki-jung, Chairman of the Fair Trade Commission (right), is meeting with Sohn Kyung-shik, Chairman of the Korea Employers Federation, at the Federation of Korean Industries Building in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 18th.

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The Fair Trade Commission is promoting a plan to designate market-dominant platform operators based on sales, market share, number of members, etc., and to impose preemptive regulations. The industry is on high alert regarding the scope of regulation and the possibility of regulating overseas platform companies. At this meeting, Chairman Han addressed concerns raised by member companies, such as the issue of reverse discrimination against domestic companies compared to overseas platform operators like Google and Apple, and the controversy that some services might be subject to regulation if classified as platform operators, explaining each point in detail.

Opinions were also exchanged regarding the revision of the system for designating the same person (head) as the standard for large enterprise policies. In response to industry opinions that there is a need to improve large business group policies to secure global competitiveness, Chairman Han stated, "We are striving to rationalize policies with a balanced perspective considering changes in the business environment," adding, "We will enhance the rationality of the system through on-site communication."

Regarding the economic sector's opinion that the ‘Subcontract Payment Linkage System,’ implemented in October last year, is expected to greatly help improve the management conditions of small and medium-sized enterprises, he emphasized, "We will strictly monitor illegal activities to ensure the early establishment of the linkage system on-site and actively operate the linkage support headquarters."

Han Ki-jung, Chairman of the Fair Trade Commission (left), is moving to meet with Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SK Chairman), on the afternoon of the 17th at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry located in Jung-gu, Seoul.

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Concerning the ‘Fair Trade Compliance Program (CP),’ for which legal grounds were established in June last year, economic organizations expressed plans to take the lead in education and promotion to expand the system and requested active cooperation from the Fair Trade Commission. Chairman Han responded, "Currently, ahead of the revised law's enforcement in June, we are working on necessary tasks for substantial system operation, such as redesigning incentives through enforcement decrees and subordinate regulations," adding, "We will strengthen cooperation with economic organizations to further activate the CP."

Additionally, opinions were exchanged on discussions about revising the Small and Medium Enterprise Cooperative Act and the need to ease economic penalties. This meeting was the first step in Chairman Han’s New Year on-site communication relay, conducted in the form of New Year greetings with representatives of major economic organizations, listening to industry opinions and difficulties regarding the recent economic situation and key issues of the Fair Trade Commission.

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