Small and Medium Enterprise Field Meeting Held in Chungbuk Region
Improvement of Domestic Fire Extinguisher Manufacturing Regulations
Suggestions Raised Regarding ODA Project Export Performance
The method of indicating the country of origin for domestically manufactured fire extinguishers will be improved so that only the manufacturer's country name is displayed.
The Small and Medium Business Ombudsman announced on the 27th that it held an 'S.O.S Talk Meeting' in Cheongju, Chungbuk, to discuss this matter. The meeting was conducted in collaboration with the Chungbuk Regional Headquarters and the Northern Chungbuk Branch of the Small and Medium Business Corporation.
At the meeting, Company A, a fire extinguisher manufacturer located in Eumseong-gun, Chungbuk, requested that the method of indicating the country of origin be improved so that domestically manufactured fire extinguishers display only the manufacturer's country name, similar to imported products. Currently, fire extinguishers produced domestically are required to indicate the country of origin for each component. However, for imported products, only the manufacturer's country name, such as 'Made in China' or China, is displayed, leading to claims that domestically produced products face reverse discrimination.
Company A appealed that compared to imported products, which display only the manufacturer's country name for a cleaner appearance, domestic products list the country of origin for all components, reducing readability and making it harder for users to choose them. In response, the Ombudsman obtained a positive answer from the Fire Agency, the relevant authority, that they will promote the revision of related notices to allow domestically manufactured fire extinguishers to display only the manufacturer's country name.
Additionally, Company B, which manufactures prefabricated building materials in Cheongju, Chungbuk, requested that products provided free of charge overseas for donation or relief purposes be recognized as export performance. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the relevant department, responded that it will consider the necessity of exceptionally recognizing free exports, such as Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects, as export performance from the perspective of fostering export companies.
Other proposals made during the meeting included ▲expanding support for excavation survey costs of buried cultural heritage during smart farm project implementation ▲expanding the limited business scope of agricultural corporations ▲relaxing mandatory employment regulations for persons with disabilities in small and medium enterprises ▲streamlining overlapping management tasks to preserve air quality, among others.
Kim Hee-sun, head of the Ombudsman support team, said, "We will convey the difficulties heard and the results of our joint deliberations to the relevant administrative agencies," adding, "Furthermore, we will continuously monitor and provide follow-up support to ensure these regulatory improvements are implemented in ways that small and medium enterprises can truly feel."
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