•Background: A local government’s municipal ordinance regarding outdoor advertisement was a uniform regulation which was aimed at preventing sporadic construction of small-sized shops. However, the regulation was an obstacle to active business activities of the multi-national retailer, Company A. (Based on the grievance submission day, Jan 6, 2015)

•Major issues: The related ordinances have different regulation by Gu (local district), and regulate in a uniform manner (i.e. allowing only one outdoor advertisement sign per store, 45cm in height) making the regulation far from the global standard.

•Requested matter: This regulation is irrelevant to the primary objective of pursuing outdoor beautification of buildings. It is necessary that the ordinance is revised to allow global businesses to place advertisement signs that meet the global standard.

•Follow-up measures
‣ (Dec 29, 2011) Foreign Investment Ombudsman chaired 275th Plenary session of the Ministerial Meeting on Regulatory Reform and requested the local government and the competent ministry to revise the ordinance during the deliberation process by seeking rational and practical solution.

‣ (Feb 9, 2012) Visited the local government to have a meeting on system improvement regarding the filing company’s grievance caused by the regulation on outdoor advertisement signs.

‣ (Apr 6, 2012, Sep 10, 2012) The local government’s council proposed a bill on the ordinance and the bill was passed

‣ (Sep 28, 2012) The mayor promulgated the ordinance on outdoor advertisement signs

•Result:
Most of the filing company’s requests were reflected in the new ordinance. The regulations on outdoor advertisement which were different by Gu were integrated to be applied with same regulation for the city, and the allowed number of outdoor advertisement was increased to two in commercial areas, industrial areas, and semi-residential areas (and additional sign installation may be reviewed, if necessary). It bears a significant meaning in that a coherent regulation for the city has been formulated and the regulation was added with rationality meeting the global standard. >