Daegu Large Mart Monthly Twice Off Days Change from Sunday to Weekdays ... Expected to Implement from February Next Year

Daegu City Hall Dongin-dong Office Building.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Koo Dae-sun] The mandatory closing days of large supermarkets in Daegu city will change from Sundays to weekdays starting next year.

On the 19th at 3 PM, Daegu City will sign the 'Agreement to Change the Mandatory Closing Days of Large Supermarkets to Weekdays' at the Sangeok Office of Daegu City Hall, with representatives of merchants, district mayors, and county governors in attendance.

Attendees include Kim Young-oh, President of the Daegu Branch of the National Merchants Association, Seo Seong-yoon, Chairman of the Daegu Jungseobu Supermarket Cooperative, Sung Jeong-mo, Chairman of the Daegu Dongbu Supermarket Cooperative, Lee Je-hoon, President of the Korea Chain Store Association, as well as Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, district mayors, and county governors.

At the signing ceremony, large supermarkets and small-to-medium-sized marts will agree to change their mandatory closing days from holidays to weekdays, and Daegu City will promise administrative support.

Until now, large supermarkets in Daegu have been closed on the second and fourth Sundays of each month in accordance with the Distribution Industry Development Act.

A Daegu city official stated, "There is considerable opposition from labor groups regarding changing the large supermarkets' Sunday closing days to weekdays. Also, related regulations stipulate that the closing days of large supermarkets are to be determined by ordinances of basic local governments. If possible, the eight basic local governments in the Daegu area will discuss and collectively set the closing days.

The weekday closing is expected to begin around January to March next year, and considering preparation and related jobs, February is highly likely," he said.

The mandatory closing regulation for large supermarkets was introduced in 2012 to protect small merchants and consider the health rights of large supermarket workers amid the proliferation of corporate supermarkets.