Higher Regulatory Burden Negatively Affects Perception of Government Fairness... Regulatory Reform is the Answer

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Research findings show that individuals' perception of regional regulation levels, such as military restrictions and industrial location regulations, can affect their perception of government fairness.

The findings suggest that various regulatory reform policies, including regulatory rationalization, are necessary to enhance perception of fairness going forward.

The Gyeonggi Research Institute released a report titled 『Analysis of Factors Influencing Government Fairness Perception: Focused on Regulation Level』 that analyzes factors affecting government fairness perception.

As 'fairness' has emerged as an important topic in our society, discussions on fairness and unfairness have become increasingly active. Government fairness is determined by the degree to which members of society perceive that the government fairly distributes social values through its policies.

Enhancing awareness of fairness is important not only for improving individuals' quality of life but also for promoting policy stability and strengthening public trust in government.

Based on this phenomenon, the Gyeonggi Research Institute conducted a survey in August targeting 1,000 Gyeonggi Province residents aged 19 and above regarding regulation levels and government fairness perception.

First, the higher the perceived burden of military regulations, the more individuals perceive unfairness in multiple areas including educational opportunities, welfare benefits, taxation, and balanced regional development.

Additionally, the higher individuals perceived the burden of industrial location restrictions, the more negatively they perceived fairness in educational opportunities and balanced regional development.

Perception of regulation levels also differs by region within Gyeonggi Province. Northern Gyeonggi residents perceive a higher burden from military regulations, while western Gyeonggi residents perceive a relatively higher burden from industrial location restrictions compared to eastern and northern areas.

Based on responses regarding regional regulation levels and the need for regulatory rationalization, the report categorized respondents into four groups.

As a result, the report identified the priority policy target group as those with large regulatory burdens and high demand for regulatory rationalization, which should be prioritized when setting future regulatory reform policy directions.

Park Jin-a, Research Fellow at the Gyeonggi Research Institute, stated, "Government fairness perception can have a significant impact on individuals' acceptance of policies and trust in government," adding, "Since regional regulation levels have a major impact on government fairness perception, regulatory reform efforts at the local government level are necessary to enhance fairness perception going forward."

She continued, "To enhance government fairness perception and reduce regulatory burden, there is a need to prioritize policy on improving military regulations and industrial location restrictions."