Park calls for speedy deregulation

President Park Geun-hye speaks during a second roundtable meeting with government officials and business leaders to check progress on regulatory reform at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

President Park Geun-hye stepped up calls for deregulation Wednesday.

During a second televised roundtable discussion held at Cheong Wa Dae about her administration’s efforts drive for regulatory reform, President Park again pounded bureaucratic red tape as she had described as a form of "cancer" that should be removed.

“Our rivals are carrying out drastic deregulations, I cannot but feel a sense of crisis over our slow deregulation," Park said. “Our economy is at a crucial time and there is not much time left.“

Park called for innovation in service industries.

“The service industries can help the nation overcome growth recession and job-loss recovery, while providing decent works for the youth,“ Park said.

At the meeting, the second of two on the subject, more that 170 people engaged in an in-depth three-hour conference, including ministers, business representatives and ordinary citizens and focused on a set of new deregulations pertaining to urban buildings, Internet economy and architecture.

Park told top government officials on Aug. 12 that the service industries have the potential to become the darling of Asia’s fourth-biggest economy, though it has become an Achilles heel due mainly to regulations and social disputes.

According to the presidential office, the eased regulations on the three agendas are expected to create new markets and attract investment worth 17.5 trillion won in total, while easing the burden of 1.5 trillion won imposed on the people.

The president also checked on how many follow-up measures were taken after complaints raised in the first meeting that took place on March 20.

The meeting was initially scheduled for Aug. 20, but the president pushed it back because more preparations were needed to ensure a productive session, according to the presidential office.

During last week’s meeting of senior presidential secretaries, Park criticized senior secretaries and government agencies for making insufficient progress on regulatory reforms, stressing that they should not waste the opportunity to make regulatory reforms that could boost the economy and create jobs.

“The meeting should be helpful toward invigorating the economy, not just for show,“ she said during the weekly meeting.

However, despite Park’s strong decision to pursue deregulation, people are skeptical about whether her drive will succeed, as evidenced by the failures of previous governments similar drives were made to reduce red tape.

In order to keep the current policy in motion, Park urged bureaucrats to be more proactive in removing or easing regulations.

“To avoid repeating the same mistakes, we need to approach regulatory reform in a different manner,“ she said.

“Rather than just counting how many regulations are relaxed, it is more important to concentrate on completely removing or easing one regulation for the people.

“Those in charge of regulatory reform need to put themselves in the victims’ shoes and adopt a responsible attitude regarding reforms.“

Park also stressed intra-governmental cooperation to achieve the desired results.

"Regulations overlap several ministries, so cooperation among them is really important," she said.

"The Prime Minister's Office should appoint leaders of cooperation between government organizations and consider giving the body responsibility, authority and incentive."

Park has emphasized that deregulation is a significant part of her three-year plan to boost the economy.

By focusing on high-tech convergence and services industries ― crucial to underpinning domestic consumption ― Park presented a set of specific goals including achieving $30,000 in per capital gross domestic product and an employment rate of 70 percent.