100 On-site Regulations Making It Difficult for SMEs Presented

Korea Federation of SMEs Publishes '2024 Top 100 On-Site Regulations Selected by Small and Medium Enterprises'

The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (Kbiz) announced on the 19th that it has identified 100 on-site regulations affecting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across nine major sectors, including global and new industries. Kbiz collected a total of 340 on-site difficulties through the participation of all its employees and related organizations such as SME cooperatives and small business associations, and selected 100 on-site regulations excluding simple civil complaint requests.

Among the 100 on-site regulations for SMEs, global regulations were identified as a follow-up measure to the Korea SME Convention held in May under the theme of "Globalization of SMEs." A representative example includes a proposal to establish guidelines on the scope of recognition for imported samples. There was a voice from the field that when importing 10 sample packs to check taste and quality before officially importing snacks, customs rejected them because they did not consider cases with 2-3 items as samples.

Regarding lifestyle regulations, a typical proposal was to exempt business operators from fines if they have informed customers about the use of disposable products. For example, if a customer orders coffee to-go at a cafe and the coffee is served in a disposable cup, but then changes their mind and drinks it inside the store, the innocent business operator may be fined.

Kbiz explained that when classifying the proposed solutions, 26 cases require legal amendments, while 74 can be resolved immediately, indicating that not only the National Assembly but also the government’s prompt regulatory improvements are crucial. Kim Ki-moon, Chairman of Kbiz, said, “Although the government is making efforts to ease regulations, regulations continue to emerge,” and “I hope the government and the National Assembly will maintain their interest until the end to ensure regulatory reform does not fizzle out and create a business-friendly environment.”