Yoon Seok-yeol President's Lunar New Year Gift Sets Popular in Secondhand Market
Unopened Items Priced Around 200,000 Won... Up to 300,000 Won
Last Year, Former President Moon Jae-in's Gift Sets Traded
A set of Lunar New Year gift packages from President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife has appeared on secondhand trading sites.
On the 13th, multiple posts appeared on secondhand trading sites such as Danggeun Market and Junggonara offering President Yoon's Lunar New Year gift sets for sale. The asking prices for unopened products are set between 200,000 KRW and up to 300,000 KRW.
Although the original cost of the gift set has not been disclosed, it is estimated to be around 100,000 KRW in accordance with the Kim Young-ran Act, meaning a premium of up to three times the estimated value has been added.
One seller said, "The packaging has not been opened," and added, "Currently selling at the overwhelmingly lowest price of 190,000 KRW."
Another seller, Mr. B, said, "I posted the item immediately after receiving it," and added, "It’s a great gift for precious people around you."
Some items have already been sold.
Specialty Products and Messages Delivered to 15,000 People Including National Heroes and Socially Vulnerable Groups
On the 12th, President Yoon Suk-yeol delivered Lunar New Year gift packages containing local specialty products and message cards to about 15,000 people from various sectors, including elders who have devoted themselves to national and social development, national heroes and their families, and socially vulnerable groups.
The Lunar New Year gifts were composed of rice cake soup rice cakes (Uiseong, Gyeongbuk), grilled seaweed with intestines (Sinan, Jeonnam), dried pollack strips (Inje, Gangwon), shiitake mushroom strips (Cheongyang, Chungnam), anchovies (Tongyeong, Gyeongnam), and red shrimp (Ongjin, Incheon) to promote the consumption of agricultural and marine products and to wish for regional harmony.
The Lunar New Year message card from the presidential couple was produced using the handwriting of Mr. Hong Juk-pyo, a 77-year-old elder who learned Hangul late in life at Sejong Geulkkot Seodang.
President Yoon’s Lunar New Year gifts were also traded multiple times at prices up to 300,000 KRW during last year’s Chuseok holiday.
Shortly after the Chuseok holiday, a commemorative watch of President Yoon was also traded at prices four to five times its original cost, attracting attention.
Former President Moon Jae-in’s Lunar New Year Gifts Also Appear on Secondhand Markets
The trading of presidential holiday gifts on secondhand markets is a recurring phenomenon.
Before last year’s Lunar New Year holiday, former President Moon Jae-in’s final Lunar New Year gift box from his term was traded on the secondhand market for up to 300,000 KRW.
The contents at that time included local specialties such as Gimpo Munbaeju or honey, plum extract from Gwangyang, Jeonnam, omija syrup from Mungyeong, Gyeongbuk, and chestnuts from Buyeo, Chungnam, along with a New Year’s card.
The card contained former President Moon’s messages, including "I will finish state affairs with a heart that cherishes each day until I return to the people in the last year of my term," and "Despite difficulties, we have achieved much. In the new year, we will be able to leap high like a tiger."
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