Chungnam Provincial Council Moves to Institutionalize Preferential Purchase of SME Products

Min Kyu Ji: "Institutional Measures Enhanced for the Public Sector to Take the Lead"

Chungnam Provincial Council member Min Kyu Ji takes the lead in institutionalizing the priority purchase system for local small and medium-sized enterprise products. / Photo by Chungnam Provincial Council

The Chungnam Provincial Council announced on June 4 that it had issued a legislative notice for a partial amendment to the "Ordinance on the Promotion of Purchase and Market Support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Products in Chungcheongnam-do," which was proposed by council member Min Kyu Ji.

The proposed amendment focuses on encouraging the purchase of locally produced competitive products by requiring the province and its affiliated institutions to prioritize purchasing products made by small and medium-sized enterprises in the Chungnam region. The aim is to strengthen the competitiveness of SMEs through responsible consumption in the public sector.

In particular, the amendment stipulates that the governor must prioritize the purchase of SME products from within the province when acquiring competitive products. It also allows for related training to be provided to the province, its affiliated organizations, and funded institutions, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the policy.

Min Kyu Ji stated, "The growth of local small and medium-sized enterprises is directly linked to the vitality of the Chungnam economy. With the institutional measures in place to encourage the public sector to take the lead in purchasing local products, I hope that more substantial support will be provided."