The province has pushed to create special zones for fourth industrial revolution, but the island’s plans don’t look well-prepared.

Joseph Kim reports.

The province has applied for the designation of the island as an electric vehicle regulation-free zone as Seoul is establishing regulation-free zones across the nation to boost local economies by nurturing region-specific industries.

16,000 EVs can be found on the roads of the island. That’s more than 30 percent of all of the EVs in the nation.

[slug] Province applies for EV regulation-free zone

The province has submitted its basic plans for creation of an EV industry zone in which 20 privately-owned companies will participate.

[slug] Basic plans include relief of red tape, grace period for license

They include relief of red tape in 16 areas including EV charging, distribution, maintenance and grace periods for business licenses.

If the island is chosen for the EV industry, 128 billion won of national and provincial funds will be poured into the creation of the zone until 2022 and a lower corporate income tax rate will be applied.

[slug] Tax reduction given to companies in regulation-free zone

The province plans to operate 5 sites including the Jeju Science Park as the zone.

[slug] Seoul demands province to re-draft plan

The EV zone was included in Seoul’s primary consultation list in April, which heightened expectations.

But the national government considered the province’s plans ineffective.



The Ministry of SMEs and Startups evaluated at the deliberation meeting held in May that the plans fail to reflect features of the EV industry and it’s questionable if the zone can help boost the local economy as only a small number of companies support the island’s plans.

The ministry demands that the province re-draft and complement the plans by seeking advice of experts to include the island’s specialized factors.


Ministry of SMEs and Startups
- EV related service industry unreflected
- Limited number of participants, relation to revitalizing local economy questionable
- Province should seek expertise to redraft a unique plan with contents original to Jeju



[slug] Ministry: Self-driving tech, 3D printing are irrelevant

Especially, the ministry points out that self-driving vehicles and cars manufactured by 3D printers included in the plans are irrelevant to the EV industry.

The province is submitting revised plans to the government by the end of next month.

[slug] Province to submit revised plans next month

Recording
Mun Gyeong-sam / Representative, Province
We are reviewing the plans this week with experts recommended by the ministry and set our course according to Seoul’s guidance.
<씽크:문경삼/제주특별자치도 탄소없는제주정책과장>
"다음 주에 회의를 시작으로 중기부에서 섭외해 준 컨설턴트와 함께 지금까지 해왔던 사항들을 검토하고 앞으로 방향을 설정해서 정부가 원하는 방향으로 진행할 계획입니다. "

Meanwhile, the province had also applied for the designation of blockchain and skin care industry zones along with the application for the EV industry zone.

But Seoul turned down the application.


They are not on Seoul’s primary consultation list.

A schedule for an additional application period hasn’t been released.

INTERVIEW
Ko Yong-ho / Jeju Provincial Council
The EV industry zone is hanging by a thread. The blockchain and skin care industries were not even on the primary consultation list. The province should pay careful attention to the industry zones and seek professional advice.
<인터뷰:고용호/제주도의회 농수축경제위원장>
"전기차가 아주 위험한 상태에 있고, 블록체인과 화장품은 아예 1차에도 선정 안됐습니다. 제주도에서 더 많은 관심을 갖고 새로운 방향으로 전문가 투입해서 보완해야 합니다."

[Reporter] Joseph Kim
[Camera] Kim Yong-min
[CG] So Ki-hoon

Lack of expertise and poor preparation of the province is frustrating the growth of the fourth industrial revolution on the island.

Joseph Kim, KCTV