Hong Nam-ki: "Delivery Apps Also Included in Dining Coupons... Focused Support for Contactless Industries like Digital IDs" (Comprehensive)

The 21st Emergency Economic Central Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting and the 6th Korean New Deal Related Ministers Meeting

Strengthening Non-Face-to-Face Measures for Consumer Coupons and Christmas Market
800,000 Senior Job Projects Next Year... Recruitment to be Maximized Within the Year
Five Emergency Ships to be Added in December to Resolve Export Logistics Issues
Discovering 100 Promising Regional Key Companies by 2022
"To Ensure Smooth Execution of COVID-19 Prevention, Economic Measures, and Direct Jobs, Next Year's Budget Must Pass the National Assembly Within the Deadline"

Hong Nam-ki, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, is delivering opening remarks while presiding over the '6th Korean New Deal Ministerial Meeting and the 21st Central Emergency Economic Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting' held on the 26th at the Government Seoul Office in Gwanghwamun, Seoul.

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Ju Sang-don] As the resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) intensifies recently, the government has decided to include delivery applications as targets for dining-out coupons. This aims to promote consumption by enabling non-face-to-face usage. Additionally, support will be focused on digital ID cards and mobile electronic notifications to facilitate the transition to a non-face-to-face economy.

On the 26th, Hong Nam-ki, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, presided over the '21st Emergency Economic Central Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting and the 6th Korean New Deal Ministerial Meeting' held at the Government Seoul Office, discussing these agenda items.

Deputy Prime Minister Hong said, "We will operate consumer coupons, including the transition of dining-out coupons to non-face-to-face use, in a limited scope as much as possible, and prepare in advance to resume issuance when quarantine levels are eased." He added, "We will review non-face-to-face coupon options that can be used even if social distancing levels are raised by including delivery apps in the dining-out coupon targets." He further stated, "The final event of the domestic consumption promotion relay, the Christmas Market (December 19?27), will also be shifted mainly online to proceed without disruption."

The government also plans to prepare for proactive execution of direct jobs (1.03 million) included in next year's budget. First, for the senior job project (740,000 in 2020 → 800,000 in 2021), for which preparation procedures have already begun, recruitment will be maximized within the year.

Fiscal spending will be increased, and efforts will be actively made to resolve export logistics difficulties. To ensure fiscal policy continues to support the economy, more than 4 trillion won in additional spending will be pursued by reducing unused central and local budgets. Additionally, to alleviate export logistics bottlenecks, five emergency ships will be added in December, and transportation capacity will be expanded by securing dedicated volumes for small and medium shippers (350 TEU per week).

At the meeting, the 'Plan to Foster Regional Innovative SMEs to Promote Regional Balanced New Deal' and 'ICT Utilization Plan for Transition to a Non-Face-to-Face Economy' were also discussed. First, to promote regional balanced development linked with the Korean New Deal, the government reorganized existing regional key industries into a total of 48 companies across three fields: digital (20), green (19), and high value-added (9). For regional key industry companies, comprehensive support will be provided including ▲investment (establishment of regional New Deal venture funds) ▲R&D (total 1.4 trillion won, 2021?2025) ▲guarantees and loans (regional New Deal agreement guarantees, etc.) ▲export and sales channels (public institution purchases, etc.) ▲talent development (specialized education at high schools and training centers). In particular, to foster leading SMEs and venture companies that will lead the regional balanced New Deal on the ground, 100 promising companies will be discovered from next year through 2022 and supported with a focus on R&D and commercialization. Furthermore, to utilize regulatory free zones as regional New Deal hubs, the designation of new zones will be expanded to include digital and green New Deal-related zones, and New Deal-related corporate hubs such as one Green Startup Town and two SME Smart Innovation Districts will be established next year.

As part of the ICT utilization plan for the transition to a non-face-to-face economy, efforts will be made to enhance convenience in daily life through digital identity verification (civil servant ID in 2020, driver's license in 2021) and mobile electronic notifications for taxes and other matters. Additionally, support will be concentrated on advancing the AI precision diagnosis system Doctor Answer 2.0 and building leisure and lifestyle platforms using immersive content technologies (XR, 5G). To strengthen the competitiveness of non-face-to-face industries, support will be provided for the development of core non-face-to-face technologies through ICT R&D and AI vouchers, promotion of 'K-Non-Face-to-Face Standardization' for D.N.A. (Data, Network, AI) technologies, and a package-type growth program combining financial guarantees (up to 5 billion won) and overseas expansion support for promising ICT companies.

Deputy Prime Minister Hong also emphasized the urgent need for the prompt passage of next year's budget bill in the National Assembly. He said, "Overall, to ensure that COVID-19 prevention, economic measures, and direct job budgets can be executed without gaps from the start of next year, it is essential that next year's budget bill be finalized within the legal deadline (December 2). I request the active cooperation of the National Assembly."