[Lee Jae-myung Interview] "I am a Pro-Business Advocate... The Core of a 'Better Life' is Eating Well and Living Well"

"Benefits for Companies Benefiting Local Communities Even If Misunderstood"
Siheung Artificial Surfing Wave Park, Swift Provincial Government Case
Loosen Bad Regulations but Strengthen Good Ones

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung. / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporters Park Cheol-eung and Gu Chae-eun] "I am an extremely pro-business politician. The core of the economy and driving growth is business. The government must allow them to freely exercise their creativity."

Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, pointed out that politicians giving business interests and privileges to companies has been distorted as if it were ‘pro-business and pro-market.’ He said, "Harassing businesses with regulations and granting privileges through collusion between politics and business is neither pro-business nor conducive to a sound market economy order," adding, "Rationalizing unnecessary regulations and guaranteeing fair competition opportunities in a predictable manner is the true ‘pro-business policy.’" He expressed a preference for the term regulation ‘rationalization’ rather than the ‘deregulation’ demanded by companies. The approach should be to eliminate bad regulations and strengthen good ones.

Governor Lee presented examples of how these principles have been implemented in Gyeonggi Province’s administration. A representative case is the ‘Artificial Surfing Wave Park’ opened last July on Turtle Island in Siheung. Other local governments had only ‘reviewed’ it for two and a half years before it fizzled out. Immediately after taking office, Lee formed a separate team to swiftly handle land acquisition, land-use changes, building permits, completion, and opening.

"Administrative procedures are not done sequentially. They proceed simultaneously. One procedure is carried out on the premise that another will be completed. Of course, to prevent poor projects or accidents, I write detailed ‘instructions’ so that the responsible officials can thoroughly review them. Then I receive their reviews. That’s why I am a local government head with a lot of ‘instructions.’" Besides this, he cited examples such as changing the land use of a medical facility site in Seongnam to attract a Doosan affiliate and attracting Hyundai Heavy Industries’ R&D center to remaining land in Bundang, saying, "If it benefits the local community, I did not hesitate to provide benefits despite misunderstandings and suspicions."

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung. / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

Governor Lee named former Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Park Yong-man as a respected businessperson. After reading Park’s essay collection, Because Even the Shade Is Life, Lee wrote on his Facebook, "It’s not a famous person’s clich? story but has fun, emotion, and poignancy." Both Lee and Park share the trait of being masters of ‘SNS communication.’ "Businesspeople who engage in normal economic activities through fair competition deserve respect without exception. I hope more promising entrepreneurs like Chairman Park will emerge through fair competition. I will ensure fair opportunities for businesspeople and create a sustainable growth environment."