[Asia Economy (Seongnam) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province will launch a card-type local currency following the paper and mobile types.
Seongnam City announced on the 2nd that it will issue the 'Seongnam Sarang Card,' a card-type local currency that combines the mobile and check card types of Seongnam Sarang Gift Certificates, on the 5th.
The Seongnam Sarang Card can be used at paper-type affiliated stores (16,603 locations) and mobile-type affiliated stores (17,578 locations).
After installing the local gift certificate app 'Chak' on a smartphone and charging (purchasing) the mobile Seongnam Sarang Gift Certificate, users can pay for card usage fees with that amount.
The integrated card name 'Seongnam Sarang Card' was chosen based on citizens' opinions collected through the city’s homepage in January.
The design was also created based on citizens' feedback, featuring Seongnam City's mascots Saenami and Saerongi.
To receive the Seongnam Sarang Card, users can enter the 'Card Application' menu on the first screen of the mobile app Chak.
The card is issued within a week of application and can be used immediately.
With the issuance of the Seongnam Sarang Card, Seongnam City becomes the first in the nation to issue three types of local currencies: paper, mobile, and card types.
The city plans to upgrade the local gift certificate app system to enable convenient use of local currency via smartphones, speeding up mobile payment response times, and in June, it will add features such as policy allowance balance inquiry, online shopping app integration, and delivery app linkage.
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