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Organization :
Ministry of SMEs and Startups
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Regulation :
Act on Facilitation of Purchase of Small and Medium Enterprise-Manufactured Products and Support for
Grievance
(Background)
The Korea Electronic Industries Cooperative is planning to list 3D printer on the 2019 competing products among SMEs.
(Grievance)
When public organizations buy the listed products, they have to buy them from Korean SMEs who produce their products in Korea for 3 years. In addition, it is expected that around 600 SMEs who distribute 3D printers manufactured overseas will be affected by the designation. This could greatly hinder the development of the 3D printer industry which is in its early stage of development.
Resoultion and Results
(Resolution)
Regarding the designation of competing products among SMEs, the Foreign Investment Ombudsman sent the following opinions to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
- It would be better to delay the time of implementation to enhance its effectiveness by taking enough time to consider the issues and possible effects that might follow.
(Result)
On December 5, 2018, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups limited its scope of designation to only 50 percent of the total Fused Deposition Modeling(FDM) 3D printers.
