Set companies free

Government should not ignore business leader's appeal

Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Park Yongmaan has vented his frustration with the reality facing domestic businesses confined by numerous regulations.

"New industries are already stuck in a jungle of regulations, but new regulations are being made continuously," the KCCI head said on Facebook.

Park expressed strong dissatisfaction with politicians and the National Assembly. "In the past, legislators sometimes enacted laws that helped businesses," he said. "All through the first half of this year, however, the National Assembly has been like a store that is open but without any business."

He went on to say, "Now is the time for the political community to aid businesses that need help and give free rein to others as they want it."

Nothing illustrated Park's frustration better than his comment on government controls on the service industry. "Service sectors, such as healthcare and education, are sealed completely with a cast net," he said. "Officials, both elected and appointed, attack at the slightest hint of deregulating these industries, criticizing its advocates as traitors." Not a few business executives posted comments agreeing with this.

Korea is often called the Republic of Regulation. Numerous chains of regulations are interwoven closely while government agencies are compartmentalized, with everyone intervening, but nobody taking responsibility when things go wrong. The Moon Jaein administration has put forth growth through innovation but failed to ease a single regulation to the satisfaction of businesses.

Nevertheless, the government and political parties are awash with populism in the run-up to general elections next year. Pork-barreling promises to get votes are already rampant. In contrast, they keep their mouths shut on tricky labor issues.

How long will the business community be filled with complaints saying, "It's hard to do business in this country?" The time has long past for government officials and politicians to make a pro-business environment. Businesses will then invest, and even those who went abroad will come back. If Corporate Korea gets in trouble, jobs will dwindle, with ordinary workers the most prominent victims. Politicians and bureaucrats should no longer ignore the appeal to "set businesses free."