Office Workers' Chuseok "Celebrating the Holiday Remotely"

Survey on Chuseok Holiday Conducted Among 1,382 Yujin Group Employees
Preference for 'Contactless' Holiday with Reduced Travel and Use of Private Cars During the Holiday

Yujin Group Chuseok Holiday Office Worker Survey Results.
[Image=Yujin Group]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] This Chuseok, 7 out of 10 office workers are expected to stay home and spend a 'contactless holiday' instead of returning to their hometowns.

Yujin Group recently conducted a survey on this year’s Chuseok plans targeting 1,382 employees from its affiliates including Yujin Enterprise, Yujin Investment & Securities, Dongyang, Yujin Home Center, Yujin Savings Bank, Korea Express, and Hanil Fibers.

When asked if they had travel plans during the Chuseok holiday, 7 out of 10 respondents (69.9%) answered that they would 'stay with family at home.' In contrast, only 25.7% said they would 'visit their hometown or travel.'

This contrasts with last year’s survey where 68.4% responded that they had plans to return home or travel, and 29.3% said they would stay home. This change is attributed to strengthened quarantine measures, as the government designated the Chuseok holiday period including National Foundation Day and Hangul Day as a special quarantine period (September 28 to October 11) due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19.

Even among those planning to visit their hometowns, most intend to travel in a contactless manner. Among respondents with plans to return home, 85.7% said they would use private cars. The use of public transportation such as buses, trains, and flights remained in single digits for each mode.

Contactless purchasing is also the trend for holiday gift shopping. Two out of three respondents (66.3%) said they would buy holiday gifts through online shopping. Visits to large supermarkets and department stores accounted for only 16.3% and 9.6%, respectively.

For those not returning home during the holiday, popular ways to spend time included 'catching up on postponed TV programs (30.4%)', 'resting without doing anything (21.9%)', 'taking walks around the neighborhood (16.9%)', and 'engaging in hobbies at home (10.1%)'. Only 1.4% said they would go on a hotel staycation in a nearby city.

Meanwhile, the expected average expenditure during the holiday period was 641,000 KRW, similar to last year’s 665,000 KRW.

A Yujin Group official stated, "With social distancing at level 2 maintained, it was confirmed that safe travel home and rest are the most important topics this holiday. We will actively participate in preventing the spread of COVID-19 during the holiday by exploring various support measures to ensure the safety of our employees."