Politics · South Korea · 6 hrs ago
South Korea targets new regional special zones next year
South Korea's government plans to pass a law this year creating super-regional special zones.
The zones are intended to support regional development and include more than 320 regulatory exemptions.
The government aims to designate at least one zone in each of five core and three special regions by the first half of next year.
Officials say their wider effort to simplify rules is meant to strengthen future industries and reduce everyday burdens for people and businesses.
Examples include expanding areas for self-driving car tests and shortening approval times for medical products.
The government will give monthly briefings on progress, while the law and zone designations remain planned steps.
South Korea aims to pass a law by the end of 2026 to establish new regional special zones.
The government plans to designate at least one super-regional special zone in each of the five-plus-three regions in the first half of 2027.
The proposed law would include about 320 regulatory exemptions, a record number, according to the Office for Government Policy Coordination.
The government says the zones are intended to support balanced regional development and strengthen future strategic industries.
Officials announced the plans at the government’s first regular briefing on regulatory reform.
- Who
- South Korea’s government, including the Office for Government Policy Coordination.
- What
- The government aims to pass a law creating super-regional special zones and designate zones across the country’s five-plus-three regions.
- When
- The law is targeted for passage by the end of 2026. Designations are targeted for the first half of 2027.
- Where
- South Korea, across the five-plus-three regional areas.
- Why
- The government says regulatory reform will strengthen future strategic industries and provide a foundation for balanced regional development.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The government held its first regular briefing on regulatory reform and outlined its goals for the proposed super-regional special zones.
The government aims to pass the super-regional special zones law.
The government aims to designate at least one super-regional special zone in each of the five-plus-three regions.
- Proposed law
- Super-Regional Special Zones Act
- Regulatory exemptions
- About 320
- Law passage target
- By the end of 2026
- Designation target
- First half of 2027
- Regional coverage target
- At least one zone in each of the five-plus-three regions
1 source
What people are saying
The government will pursue three goals at once through regulatory reform: strengthening the competitiveness of future strategic industries, easing everyday inconveniences for the public and businesses, and laying the foundation for balanced regional development
We aim to pass the law within this year and designate at least one super-regional special zone in each of the five-plus-three regions in the first half of next year