DAEGU — Monthly filings of business complaints in Daegu have more than quadrupled after the city merged separate intake desks that had divided cases into "regulatory" and "operational" categories, the city said. Officials attribute the jump to a single intake point that spares companies from deciding which category their case falls under, with the city itself determining how to handle each filing.
The Regulatory and Business Grievance 119 Integrated Support Center, which opened on July 13, took in 170 business complaints in its first 100 days, or about 50 a month, Daegu said on the 22nd. That far exceeds past annual totals of 161 cases in 2024, or 13.4 a month, and 163 cases in 2025, or 13.6 a month. Of the filings received, 153 have already been resolved, while the remaining 17 are under review.
The center was created to stop complaints from being passed between departments and to merge the previously split handling systems. Under rules set in writing, filers are informed of progress within three days and of the outcome within 14 days. A mobile service that visits industrial complexes and traditional markets to hear concerns on site has also helped drive up filings.
"Companies' trust in and satisfaction with the center have grown, and that is translating into more filings," said Choi Chang-hwan, director of the city's business support division.
The center has also resolved problems on the ground. A household goods maker identified as Company A faced a production halt after losing access to a leased 3D printer; the center tracked down the same equipment at a nearby affiliated institution and arranged access, allowing the company to keep its schedule. An auto parts maker identified as Company B, which had left a leaking dormitory unrepaired for lack of funds, completed the work after a site visit by the center and a referral to a Daegu Technopark support program.
Complex cases involving multiple departments and agencies are handled by a regulatory coordination team within the center, led by the vice mayor for administrative affairs and made up of 13 members, including bureau and division directors, who negotiate and coordinate a resolution.
"Just as the name '119 Integrated Support Center' suggests, the city will be the first to step up when companies run into trouble," said Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho. "We will find answers on the ground and boldly cut away outdated regulations and unreasonable practices to make this the best city in the country to do business."