Yoon at Cheongju Traditional Market: "Government Supports Revitalization of Local Markets" (Comprehensive)

Revisiting Cheongju Yukgeori General Market After Over 10 Months
Listening to Challenges Such as Rising Fuel Costs and Economic Slowdown
Explaining Key Projects in Chungbuk Region

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 14th, President Yoon Seok-yeol visited Yukgeori General Market in Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, stating, "The government will spare no support to revitalize local markets, which are the foundation of our economy."

At a meeting with merchants held at Yukgeori General Market that afternoon, President Yoon emphasized, "The national economy thrives when local communities prosper and traditional markets regain vitality."

This marks President Yoon's fourth visit to Yukgeori General Market since his political declaration. In April last year, as a president-elect, he made his final visit to the market.

The meeting was attended by government officials and market merchants, including National Assembly Deputy Speaker Jung Woo-taek, Minister of SMEs and Startups Lee Young, and Governor of Chungcheongbuk-do Kim Young-hwan.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the merchants' meeting held at Cheongju Shinhan Credit Union inside Yukgeori Market, President Yoon said, "I have always expressed my intention to visit traditional markets to listen to public sentiment," adding, "The constitutional spirit that all power comes from the people can be deeply felt in the heart when visiting traditional markets, which are the frontlines of people's livelihoods." He also pledged, "I will carefully attend to the people's well-being and listen even more attentively to their difficulties."

Lee Do-woon, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, conveyed in a written briefing that President Yoon said, "Seeing merchants working so hard despite difficulties such as high inflation makes me want to work even harder," and "When I visit traditional markets, I feel in my heart why I became president, for whom, and for what purpose I must work."

He also explained the policy of actively supporting key projects in the Chungbuk region. President Yoon stated, "We will firmly support the establishment of an AI gifted high school and the creation of a bio high-tech complex," and "We will also actively assist in the promotion of the Osong Life Science National Industrial Complex." He expressed his intention to seek ways to improve the infrastructure of Cheongju Airport.

Before the meeting, he toured various parts of the market, greeting merchants and purchasing various foods such as corn, rice cakes, jocheong (traditional grain syrup), and glutinous rice twisted doughnuts.

The Presidential Office stated, "Through this visit to a site of people's livelihoods, President Yoon reaffirmed his policy commitment to the revival of small business owners and the economic development of the Republic of Korea through a new era of local regions."

[Image source=Yonhap News]