Minister of SMEs and Startups Lee So-young stated, "We will work with related ministries, including the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, to explore directions for reorganizing rational regulatory frameworks that support the growth of new industries while ensuring safety," the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced today (November 1).

Minister Lee made the remarks during her visit to the industrial hemp regulation-free zone in Andong as part of her "field tour of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small business owners in the Gyeongsang region" held from October 30 to 31, adding, "We will examine the cultivation and extraction technologies accumulated in the Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do hemp regulation-free zone, the results of whole-cycle safety management demonstrations, and the necessity of existing regulations."

Minister Lee inspected the demonstration achievements of the hemp zone alongside Gyeongsangbuk-do Governor Lee Cheol-woo, People Power Party lawmaker Kim Hyung-dong, and others, while discussing ways to link regulatory reorganization and institutionalization with related companies.

In particular, discussions covered the need to revise the Narcotics Control Act, ways to establish production infrastructure such as Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facilities for pharmaceuticals, and measures to strengthen commercialization support.

On this day, Minister Lee visited the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) to meet with university student entrepreneurs and startup club members, listening to their opinions on vitalizing the youth and regional startup ecosystem by utilizing the university's research capabilities and the industrial infrastructure of nearby large corporations.

The following day, she toured the old downtown commercial district of Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, to examine how local gastronomic, historical, and cultural resources are creating changes in commercial districts and consumption trends.

She then held a tea meeting with small business owners and commercial district planners to listen to their opinions on vitalizing regional commercial areas.

Minister Lee emphasized, "For potential to lead to practical commercial vitality, the proactive roles of on-site agents such as local merchants, entrepreneurs, and commercial district planners are crucial."

Later, she attended the opening ceremony of the Korea Grand Festival held in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, stating, "I hope this event breathes vitality into small business owners and traditional market merchants while becoming a consumption festival enjoyed by all citizens," and adding, "We will strive to develop it into a world-class representative festival."

Concluding her field tour of the Gyeongsang region, Minister Lee stated, "The starting point of government policies, such as regional startups, manufacturing innovation, regulations on new industries, and the revitalization of small business owners, is our on-site policy customers," and added, "Using this tour as a foundation, we will create changes in regulatory improvements and policy feedback that citizens and businesses can tangibly experience."

(Photo: Yonhap News)