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https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/path/A2025041310450005984
By Park Jae-hyuk
Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also heads SK Group, appeared in a television documentary Saturday to propose a �쐌ega sandbox�� concept to revitalize non-capital areas suffering from population decline.
During a roundtable with young startup CEOs featured in the program, Chey suggested designating specific regions as zones with significantly relaxed regulations to attract talent and companies developing future-oriented technologies.
�쏞reating decent jobs in a region brings people in and improves living conditions, which in turn helps prevent regional decline and low birth rates,�� he said. �쏧f we choose one or two places and focus on making them successful, we can use them as models for other regions.��
Chey also encouraged local universities to guarantee employment opportunities for students after graduation.
Emphasizing the need for advanced infrastructure, he highlighted the importance of a foundational hub for artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
�쏷here should be at least one place in Korea with proper AI infrastructure,�� he said. �쏰nly then can we show that AI transformation is possible across all industries based on that foundation.��
Chey urged the government to shift toward a regulatory framework that allows all activities except those explicitly restricted by law �� a reversal from the country�셲 current approach.
�쏻hen companies ask, �쁀re we allowed to do this?�� we need to be able to say, �쁃o whatever you want,�쇺�� he said.
He also called on local governments to offer incentives appealing to both domestic and international companies.
�쏛s Korea�셲 structural challenges like delayed industrial innovation, lack of quality jobs, low birth rates and regional decline are deeply interconnected, it�셲 been difficult to address them through isolated solutions,�� a KCCI official said. �쏛head of the upcoming presidential election, we aired this documentary to help people better understand the �쁬ega sandbox�� idea proposed by the business community.��