South Korean Ministry of Interior identifies 1,117 local regulatory reform tasks

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) announced that 1,117 regulatory reform tasks related to public livelihoods and regional industries were identified in the first half of this year. This represents a 37.1% increase compared to the same period last year.

Of these identified tasks, 120 have been accepted by relevant central government ministries for improvement, marking a 36.4% increase from the previous year. The reform efforts are concentrated on four major livelihood areas: public inconvenience, business regulations for small business owners and the self-employed, life and safety protection, and grievances of the socially vulnerable. Additionally, the ministry is targeting three regional industry sectors: service industries, new industries, and traditional regional industries.

To ensure effective implementation, the MOIS is reviewing 27,658 local regulations that have been registered for more than five years. The ministry also plans to support local governments in amending ordinances and rules, while coordinating with central ministries for tasks requiring legislative changes. To encourage best practices, the government will host the ‘2026 Local Regulatory Rationalization Best Practice Contest’ to share successful cases of easing burdens on residents and small businesses.