South Korea is pushing forward with the “Super-Region Special Zone Act,” an initiative carrying approximately 320 regulatory exceptions designed to foster regional, led-by-locality growth.
Government officials announced the legislative drive during the first regular briefing on regulatory rationalization held at the Government Complex Seoul on November 10, 2026. Korea.kr reported that the Prime Minister’s Office outlined three core pillars for the strategy: growth, public livelihood, and regional development.
Kim Yong-soo, the 2nd Vice Minister of Government Policy Coordination, led the briefing to explain the current status of these sweeping administrative changes. To solidify private-sector leadership, the administration revised the Framework Act on Administrative Regulations, elevating the committee chairmanship from the Prime Minister to the President while adding a private sector vice-chairperson.
To give growth wings, the government introduced specific guidelines for copyright fair use regarding artificial intelligence learning, alongside dedicated counseling services. Korea.kr noted that a new public copyright license type, known as the “AI Type,” was established to eliminate uncertainties for tech companies and creators.
KBS News corroborated that autonomous driving tech developers can now utilize collected video footage in its original, unedited form to boost data accuracy. Autonomous test-driving regions have expanded from isolated routes and districts to entire cities, providing more empirical testing data.
The administrative changes also shorten safety certification review periods for outdoor mobile robots from 60 days down to 30 days. Meanwhile, approval times for new pharmaceuticals and medical products drop from an average of roughly 400 days to a maximum of 240 days, which the government says will secure the global competitiveness of local drugmakers and expand treatment opportunities for citizens and patients.
To ease everyday inconveniences for citizens, the administration is overhauling consumer services. KBS News reported that ending mobile telecommunication services no longer requires an in-person visit or lengthy phone consultations, as chat support and carrier mobile applications now handle cancellation requests.
The state also introduced a short-term parental leave system to help workers manage sudden childcare gaps caused by school closures or hospitalizations. Food establishments can now freely run discount services for unsold items near closing time, minimizing food waste while creating economic value.
The centerpiece of the regional growth strategy is the newly proposed Super-Region Special Zone Act, which introduces roughly 320 regulatory exceptions under a single piece of legislation. According to KBS News, the special zones offer menu-style and demand-responsive regulatory exceptions, backed by financial, fiscal, and talent support packages.
Beginning November 13, 2026, the newly renamed Regulatory Rationalization Committee will also review the repeal or relaxation of life and safety regulations.
