The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 15th it will conduct on-site inspections to crack down on rest areas that engage in unfair practices, such as failing to pay suppliers for delivered goods.
The move follows what Minister Kim Yun-duk of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) released on the 9th, saying, "We will uncover every unfair practice in rest area operations, root them out, and improve the system."
On the day, Kim Hyo-jung, Director-General at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), visited Hanam Dream Service Area and demanded that the Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC), which oversees the rest area, correct its unfair operating practices. Kim also noted it was not reasonable for the Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC) to extend the contract for Hanam Dream Service Area for 15 years in a provisional operation format to the private organization Korea Expressway Service Area Facilities Association.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) plans to visit Gihung, Chungju, and Manghyang service areas in sequence, starting with Hanam Dream Service Area. Director-General Kim said, "We are thoroughly investigating unfair practices within rest areas, such as revolving-door appointments and nonpayment of supply prices," adding, "We hope small business owners that have stores in rest areas will report unfair practices to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT)."