In Tae-yeon, head of the Small Enterprise & Market Service (SEMAS), took a cautious stance on allowing dawn delivery by big-box retailers. He also offered the view that small business owners should take part in the ongoing discussions.
On the 11th, In met with reporters at the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, and said, "The pace of the discussion on dawn delivery is too fast," adding, "Small business owners must be included as stakeholders, and I oppose discussions held only among lawmakers in the National Assembly."
He also predicted that if competition in distribution accelerates, it will spur rivalry among conglomerates and ultimately harm small business owners. In said, "If competition among conglomerates intensifies, self-employed people in the middle could be hit," adding, "The distribution market is already saturated, and I believe social control mechanisms are needed."
In assessed that small business owners are in tougher conditions than in the past. He worked as secretary for self-employed affairs under the senior presidential secretary for job creation newly established in July 2018 in the Moon Jae-in administration's Blue House.
In said, "After COVID-19, the scale of online distribution expanded significantly, making conditions tougher for the self-employed," adding, "If dawn delivery expands further in this situation, the burden on the ground could increase." He added, "In fact, many merchants in traditional markets also oppose expanding the policy."
He also emphasized that the neighborhood commercial districts protected by small business owners should not be viewed only through an economic lens. He said, "The commercial districts of small business owners create large social value, such as maintaining urban public safety and shaping tourism appeal," adding, "Like wetlands in a natural ecosystem, they are not always visible but perform essential functions." He went on, "Traditional markets also help stabilize prices, and some items are about 20% to 50% cheaper than in large-scale distribution."
He also hinted at plans to quantify the social value of small business owners. In said, "We will start a study within this year to convert various factors, such as the tourism effects of public safety, into monetary value," adding, "We want to create meaningful standards centered on the SEMAS research institute, which has Ph.D.-level research personnel."
He added, "As someone who comes from a merchant background, I understand the market's difficulties better than anyone," and said, "Our goal is to help small business owners keep their doors open even one more day."