Anchor: Government agencies jointly briefed President Park Geun-hye on Monday regarding their key projects for 2016. The government plans to create a sustainable ecosystem for a creative economy by establishing a more favorable environment to do business. It also aims to foster new industries such as the bio-health sector. Our Bae Joo-yon has more.
 
Report: The government has decided to create regulation-free zones in 14 cities and provinces, excluding Seoul and its surrounding regions, in a bid to facilitate the establishment of more start-ups.
 
The move is aimed to support technological advancements by allowing businesses to utilize new technologies that are hard to test under current regulations. In the designated areas, heads of start-ups will also be able to easily use expensive facilities and equipment, including 3D printers.
 
Government agencies, including the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, also unveiled their plans during the new year policy briefings to President Park Geun-hye on Monday.
 
The focal points for 2016 were on the creative economy and cultural prosperity.
 
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism unveiled a goal to attract 20 million foreign tourists this year. To reach that goal, the ministry will create a resort complex with Korea-related themes and develop various contents that bridge technology and culture together.
 
The Ministry of Health and Welfare disclosed plans to create a 150 billion-won fund to promote growth of bio-health industries. It also said it plans to spare no efforts in supporting research and development of new medicine.
 
The government revealed its goal to make South Korea’s bio-health market the seventh largest in the world by next year, bringing it up from its current 12th ranking.
 
The Health Ministry will also seek to export remote medical treatment systems that have incorporated IT technologies to China and South America.

Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.