Public Procurement Service maps out 'innovation procurement' strategy for Chungcheong region

The Public Procurement Service has begun laying the groundwork to drive innovation procurement in the Chungcheong region, the heart of South Korea's science, administration and industry.

PPS Commissioner Baek Seung-bo visited Daejeon, Sejong and South Chungcheong Province on Wednesday to inspect production facilities for innovative products and hold a roundtable with local companies, discussing ways to invigorate the regional economy and support business growth through public procurement.

The visit is part of a nationwide relay tour of procurement sites the commissioner launched in March, aimed at incorporating the firsthand voices of local businesses into policy and strengthening the practical impact of public procurement reform.

Baek first visited Jeongyang SG Co. (CEO Ahn Byeong-gwon) in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, to assess the effectiveness and outcomes of innovation procurement policy, then held a roundtable with local innovative and high-quality product companies to hear their concerns directly.

Site visit to innovative firm — commissioner pledges support for growth of technology-driven local companies

Baek toured the production facility of Jeongyang SG, a company leading zero-energy construction through innovative technology, and discussed ways to ease regulations and expand market access.

Jeongyang SG independently researched and developed a structural thermal bridge breaker that dramatically reduces energy loss in buildings, drawing on 40 years of accumulated insulation manufacturing expertise. The product has received New Excellent Product certification and been designated an innovative product, earning recognition for both its technological merit and public value.

"We will continuously expand efforts to identify innovative products and support market access, so that companies like Jeongyang SG — which have secured world-class technology through sustained research and development — can grow further using the public procurement market as a springboard and ultimately break into overseas markets," Baek said.

Listening to on-the-ground concerns — commissioner stresses spreading innovation procurement and regulatory reform that businesses can feel

Nine leading innovative and high-quality product companies from the Daejeon, Sejong and South Chungcheong region — holding advanced technologies in drones, rehabilitation robots and water quality analyzers — attended the roundtable to discuss reform and development of public procurement.

Amid domestic economic pressures stemming from high inflation and the situation in the Middle East, the participating companies spoke candidly about the difficulties they face in the procurement market. They called for meaningful policy improvements, including expanding pilot purchases of innovative products, supporting their entry into overseas procurement markets, and shortening the restriction period for adding items to the Multiple Award Schedule.

Baek outlined the "2026 Public Procurement Reform Plan" in detail, saying the agency would "swiftly advance improvements to systems and support policies that the public can tangibly feel — including regulatory rationalization and building an export foundation for procurement companies — to ensure the successful implementation of key procurement policies that underpin national goals."

Brown-bag meeting with younger-generation staff at Daejeon office — open dialogue to drive organizational culture reform

Meanwhile, at a brown-bag meeting with younger-generation employees at the Daejeon office — held to boost staff morale and strengthen policy execution — participants freely exchanged ideas on the direction of procurement administration, procurement policy and improvements to organizational culture.

"The success of public procurement reform begins with the creativity and execution of the frontline staff who handle day-to-day operations," Baek said. "We will build a flat organizational culture where employees can freely voice their opinions and make the most of their capabilities."