South Korea Identifies 160 Abnormal Practices to Tackle in 'Nation Normalization Project'

SEOUL, May 14 (Yonhap) -- The government on Thursday identified about 160 abnormal and unfair practices it will tackle under what it calls the "nation normalization project," such as the standardization of beach umbrella fees, one of the frequently raised complaints in summer. The project was launched after President Lee Jae Myung ordered the correction of abnormal practices and systems, deep-rooted illegal and illicit acts, saying in March that the country should bring an end to the "age of abnormality" where those violating rules stand to gain while those complying stand to lose. On Thursday, the Office for Government Policy Coordination held the first meeting of the task force on the project, and about 160 tasks were selected as the first batch of practices to tackle out of some 500 collected from officials on the ground and civilian experts over the past month, officials said. The selection was made with a focus on making real changes that can be felt by people, officials said. Other tasks include improving the opaque management system of studio apartments, known in Korea as "officetels," and banning illegal use of the Onnuri gift certificate the government issues to revitalize traditional markets. "This project is not a one-off event but a national task that will be consistently pushed for during the term" of the current government of President Lee, said Kim Young-su, first deputy chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, during the meeting. "We hope the people will also notify us of ill practices and irrationalities rooted in daily lives," he said.