The food and beverage company Orion has been in a feud with the province over the company's domestic sales of mineral water bottled in Jeju, but the province has reversed its decision to prohibit the company from selling domestically.

Mike Balfour reports.

Orion, a food and beverage company, has been conditionally allowed to sell locally sourced bottled water on the domestic market.
[slug] Press briefing on Orion's domestic sales of mineral water

The province manages underground water as a public good and had only allowed public firms to develop water resources on the island.
But the province has recently announced that it will allow Orion to sell bottled mineral water domestically.

Recording
Park Geun-su / Representative, Province
Even though we and Orion have different views on the ownership of water resources, we provisionally accept the company's request, and soon will review the water supply contract.
<싱크 : 박근수 / 제주도 환경보전국장>
"용암해수 공급과 관련해 오리온제주용암수와 입장차에 따른 이견이 있었지만, 오리온이 최종 제시한 요청안을 잠정적으로 수용하고 공급 계약을 검토할 예정이라는 말씀을 (드립니다)."

[slug] Daily quota for domestic sales is 300 tons

The province has set a daily quota for domestic sales at 300 tons. That's 12 percent of publicly owned JPDC/Samdasoo’s production. The restriction is to prevent overheated competition between the two firms.

[slug] Only online sales allowed

Orion's national distribution will be limited to online sales.

[slug] Province: "Balance between public and private benefit is considered"

The province has explained that both public and private benefits were considered.

Park Geun-su / Representative, Province
We had banned domestic sales of Orion bottled water. But we accepted the company's request to allow for the distribution of its product on the domestic market as a domestic sales record is required for export.
<싱크 : 박근수 / 제주도 환경보전국장>
"국내 판매를 불허하는 것을 원칙으로 저희들이 협의를 해왔습니다. 그런데 해외 판매를 위해서는 일정 부분 국내에 판매한 실적이 필요하다는 오리온 측의 입장을 일부 받아들였습니다."

[slug] Supply amount for export not determined yet

The amount of water allowed for export to China and Southeast Asian countries hasn't been determined yet.
The daily water-intake capacity is 11,000 tons at the sea water desalination plant.
Within that limit, the province will allow the company to produce bottled water.

Recording
Jang Won-guk / Jeju Technopark
Orion asks for a supply of 2,500 tons of water per day. We expect that it will ask for more, once it finds overseas markets.
<싱크 : 장원국 / 제주테크노파크 용암해수센터장>
"오리온제주용암수 측이 제출한 요구량은 2천 500톤입니다. 해외 수출에 대한 판로가 개척되면 추가적으로 더 많은 물량을 요구할 것으로 예측하고 있습니다."

[slug] Orion to return 20% of profits to Jeju

Orion has issued a press release that articulates its marketing plans and promised to return to the island 20 percent of profits from the product.
The province and the company will conclude a contract soon.

[Reporter] Mike Balfour
[Camera] Kim Seung-cheol

Disputes between the two sides have been resolved.
However, the provincial reversal on the principle of water as a public good has some raising their eyebrows.
Mike Balfour, KCTV