Park Young-sun "Distributing 100,000 Smart Stores in Traditional Markets... Transition to Subscription Economy"

On the 3rd, Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for Seoul mayor, visited Yongmun Traditional Market in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, where she toured the market and conversed with Ban Jae-seon, the chairman of the Yongmun Market Merchants Association. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for Seoul mayor in the April 7 by-election, announced, "We will distribute 100,000 smart stores to secure the global self-sustainability of neighborhood merchants."

On the 3rd, Park visited Yongmun Market in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and experienced a one-day shopping pickup manager service using 'Noljang' (Come to the Market), a shopping service within traditional markets. Park said, "Since my time as Minister of SMEs and Startups, I have been promoting the digitalization of small business owners and traditional markets," promising to build a smart store ecosystem.

She added, "Just as milk or yogurt is regularly delivered monthly to homes, restaurants, flower shops, laundries, cafes, and side dish stores in traditional markets can also switch to a subscription economy with a fixed monthly fee."

Park emphasized, "We will establish a small business subscription economy system where everything is delivered to each household within 21 minutes." In the afternoon, she attended the opening ceremony of the Hwarang Art Festival, held a meeting with artists, and discussed measures to address COVID-19 damages.

Earlier, Park appeared on a radio show and said regarding the unification of pro-government candidates, "I have entrusted everything to the party." She agreed to hold a TV debate on the 4th with Assemblyman Cho Jung-hoon of the Transition Korea party for unification. Park also revealed that she had dinner with Assemblyman Woo Sang-ho, who competed with her within the party, saying, "I felt Woo might have some disappointment in his heart, but he did not show it and rather encouraged me by saying 'We must win.' It was quite touching."