"To Protect Honest Small Business Owners from Unfairness"… 2nd Interagency Council Meeting Held

Held under the Chairmanship of Minister Oh Young-joo of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups
Attendance by 8 Central Ministries and 17 Metropolitan Local Governments

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 11th that it held the '2nd Good Faith Small Business Protection Council' with 8 central government ministries and 17 metropolitan local governments. The meeting was chaired by Minister Oh Young-joo of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, with attendance from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Government Legislation, and the National Police Agency.

Minister Oh Young-joo of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups is sharing opinions with small business owners who attended the 'Small Business Cluster On-site Meeting' held on the 15th of last month at the Seoul Metropolitan Small Business Specialized Support Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

This council was organized as part of efforts to improve unreasonable regulations related to youth identity verification, which were raised at the public discussion on livelihood held on the 8th of last month. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety took immediate action by sending a cooperation request letter to local governments within three hours on the same day, asking them to thoroughly investigate objective facts when detecting the provision of alcoholic beverages to youth and then decide on administrative measures and prosecution.

On the 15th of last month, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups hosted the '1st Good Faith Small Business Protection Council,' where it was decided to promote institutional improvements and proactive administration that would exempt administrative sanctions even before investigation or judgment by investigative and judicial authorities if it is objectively proven through CCTV or multiple testimonies during local government administrative investigations that the business operator verified the youth's ID.

At the second council meeting, the Ministry of Government Legislation, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and Ministry of Economy and Finance collaborated to complete and implement amendments to three enforcement decrees and rules?the Youth Protection Act Enforcement Decree, Tobacco Business Act Enforcement Rules, and Food Sanitation Act Enforcement Decree and Rules?by April.

In addition to these three laws, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is independently identifying areas for institutional improvement and is working on amendments to the Game Industry Act Enforcement Rules and Music Industry Act Enforcement Rules. For laws requiring legislative amendments, such as the Public Health Control Act in the lodging sector and the Performance Act and Film and Video Act in the cultural sector, the Ministry of Government Legislation, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism are cooperating with the National Assembly to promote revisions.

The National Police Agency participated in this council for the first time. They expressed their commitment to protecting good faith small business owners by promptly investigating related reports and taking measures to allow business owners to view and copy evidence of ID verification upon request.

Metropolitan local governments shared their ongoing efforts and examples of measures that have begun to be implemented in the field.

Minister Oh said, “Government agencies are moving as one team to reform regulations that have been unreasonable and chronic for small business owners for decades, and there is a nationwide consensus that regulations protecting youth should not become shackles for small business owners. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups will continue to cooperate with each ministry and local governments to firmly establish improved systems on the ground and make every effort to ensure that no small business owner sheds unjust tears anymore.”