Sejong, June 27 - The Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) announced that Minister Han Wha-jin visited Young Kwang YKMC INC. (YKMC), a plating company located in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, on May 30 in the afternoon. During the visit, a meeting was held to listen to the regulatory difficulties faced by SMEs regarding chemical substances and introduce regulatory innovation measures.

The Ministry evaluated the progress made in promoting regulatory innovation for chemical substances in celebration of the first anniversary of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Despite establishing a foundation for the leap of advanced industries, challenges persist for SMEs. Measures, such as the establishment of specialized exams for the semiconductor industry, have been made. However, SMEs continue to face issues including personnel shortages for chemical substance management. Moreover, the on-site perception of regulatory innovation remains insufficient.

In response, the Ministry is pushing for tailored regulatory innovation for chemical substances that meets the needs of SMEs. This includes enhancing the specialized workforce for chemical substances and streamlining administrative procedures. The purpose is to ensure that the achievements of regulatory innovation are perceived at the on-site level.

First, to address the difficulty of securing chemical substance management personnel, the qualification for hazardous chemical substance managers will be expanded. For small-scale businesses with fewer than 30 employees, regulations will be revised to extend the validity period of relaxed criteria for technical personnel (academic degrees and practical experience). This aims to alleviate the personnel shortages for chemical substance management that SMEs currently face.

Additionally, improvements will be made to alleviate the burden of chemical substance education and redundant regulations that have been challenging for SMEs. In cases where amendments to relevant laws, such as the differentiation of chemical substance management systems, are required, they will be pursued. The amendments shall be based on the results of discussions among the government, industry, and academia in the "Chemical Safety Policy Forum."

Yang Chan-hui, Director of the Innovation Growth Division of Korea Federation of SMES (KBIZ), who attended the meeting, stated, "By hearing about the proposed measures for regulatory innovation that reflect the suggestions previously made by small and medium-sized enterprises, we have gained trust in the Ministry of Environment's efforts." He further expressed his anticipation, stating, "In particular, for small-scale plating businesses, securing personnel has been a major challenge, but it seems that it will become smoother in the future."

Minister Han Wha-jin stated, "The direction of regulatory innovation at the Ministry under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration will remain clear in the future." She emphasized, "We will ensure public health while also harmonizing the relationship between the industry and chemical substance regulations."

Contact: Kim Soo-hyun, Deputy Director

Legal Affairs and Regulations Reform Division / +82-(0)44-201-6397