Three special zones, including the Ulsan hydrogen green mobility special zone and the Gangwon digital healthcare special zone, have completed regulatory improvements and are accelerating commercialization of the technologies.
The government's Regulatory Free Special Zone Committee said on the 23rd that it deliberated and approved the follow-up action plan for regulatory free special zones, the 2024 performance evaluation results of regulatory free special zone operations, and changes to important matters in previously designated special zones. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) plans to publish the results of the discussion in the official gazette within this week.
For 14 demonstration projects ending this year, follow-up measures will be implemented depending on whether regulatory improvements are made, including ending the special zones or projects, granting or extending temporary permits, and extending demonstration exemptions.
Three special zones where projects will end due to regulatory improvements through enactment or revision of laws and regulations are the Ulsan hydrogen green mobility special zone, the Jeju electric vehicle charging service special zone, and the Gangwon digital healthcare special zone. These special zones have commercialized new technologies and new products, making full-scale market entry possible.
To improve regulations for projects whose demonstration and safety have been verified, a temporary permit will be granted to the Busan ammonia eco-friendly energy special zone, and temporary permits will be extended for three special zones: the Jeonnam new energy industry special zone, the Jeonbuk carbon convergence industry special zone, and the Jeju electric vehicle charging service special zone. Meanwhile, for parts of two special zones—the Jeonnam eco-friendly HDPE small fishing vessel special zone and the Jeonbuk carbon convergence industry special zone—the demonstration exemption period will be extended so that additional demonstrations can prove safety and the need for regulatory improvements.
It also deliberated and approved the 2024 operational performance evaluation results for the 3rd to 9th rounds of regulatory free special zones (27 in total) and the 1st round of global innovation special zones (4 in total).
By comprehensively assessing each special zone's performance in achieving policy goals, demonstration and regulatory management outcomes, and the business performance of participating companies, four outstanding special zones were selected in the regulatory free special zones: Daegu mobile collaborative robots, North Gyeongsang smart green logistics, North Chungcheong green hydrogen industry, and North Gyeongsang next-generation wireless charging for electric vehicles. In the global innovation special zones, North Chungcheong advanced regenerative bio was selected as an outstanding special zone.
The Special Zone Committee reviewed major changes such as modifications to demonstration exemptions and the addition of operators for the Ulsan ammonia bunkering special zone, the Gangwon AI healthcare special zone, and the Daejeon advanced biomanufacturing based on Synthetic Biology special zone.
Minister Han Seong-sook of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) said, "We need to apply regulatory exceptions tailored to regional characteristics within the regulatory free special zones, and ensure that new industries leveraging new technologies are verified and can take root as regional strategic industries," and added, "We will continue to work harder so that new technologies do not hit regulatory barriers and can grow into new industries."