Song Yong-gil's first bill targets used-car export industry

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Song Yong-gil announced Tuesday that he has introduced the "Act on the Promotion of the Used Automobile Export Industry" as his first bill since returning to the National Assembly last month, aiming to secure new growth engines for South Korea's used-car export market.

The bill drew broad cross-party support, with lawmakers from the People Power Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party joining Democratic Party members as co-sponsors. Song has long emphasized pragmatic politics that transcends factional lines.

The proposed legislation seeks to elevate the domestic used-car export industry to the status of a national strategic industry and establish a comprehensive legal and institutional support framework. The sector has long struggled with quality-control challenges and high maritime shipping costs, compounded by a lack of systematic government support and a fragmented industry structure.

Key provisions include a mandate to formulate and implement a master plan every five years, the designation of special used-car export support zones, the establishment and operation of an integrated used-car export system along with support projects for overseas market development, and the creation of guarantee, insurance and financial support programs for small-scale exporters.

Song explained the rationale behind the bill, saying demand for South Korean used cars is surging — particularly in developing countries — making it "a blue-ocean market with unlimited growth potential, yet one that has been neglected, leaving the industry struggling to build international competitiveness." He described the bill as "a livelihood measure aimed at fundamentally restructuring our used-car export industry to contribute to national economic development and youth job creation."

Song added that lawmakers from the People Power Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party had "gladly joined forces" alongside Democratic Party members, and pledged to "continue delivering legislative results that expand the economic territory of the Lee Jae Myung government through pragmatism that bridges the ruling and opposition parties."