Seoul Districts Open Direct Market Ahead of Chuseok Holiday, Issue Local Love Gift Certificates, Conduct Food Business Hygiene Inspections, Operate Pet Dog Rest Areas, Check Pharmacies and Hospitals, and Prepare Cleaning and Parking Measures
Kim Mikyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong District (left), is visiting the direct transaction market and talking with merchants.
The Chuseok holiday is just over two weeks away.
This year, Chuseok will be a six-day holiday from the 28th of this month to October 3rd, National Foundation Day, providing ample time for people to visit their hometowns, and a massive migration of people is expected.
Accordingly, Seoul’s autonomous districts are busy providing various administrative support to help residents enjoy a joyful holiday with their families ahead of Chuseok.
First, to prepare for Chuseok, autonomous districts such as Gangnam-gu in Seoul are operating direct transaction markets that sell specialty products from sister regions at prices lower than market rates.
Gangseo-gu will hold a market on the 14th and 15th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Magoknaru Station entrance plaza inside Seoul Botanic Park, where 13 sister regions including Imsil-gun, Sangju-si, Taean-gun, Gangneung-si, Yeosu-si, and Haman-gun will participate to sell top-quality local agricultural, marine, livestock, and specialty products such as Korean beef, cheese, traditional Korean sweets (hangwa), salted seafood, and various fruits.
Eunpyeong-gu (District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) will hold a ‘Chuseok Agricultural and Specialty Products Direct Market’ for two days from the 15th to the 16th at Susaek Station Plaza, selling excellent local specialties such as salted seafood, salt, grains, cheese, and mushrooms from Seocheon-gun, Gapyeong-gun, Sinan-gun, Imsil-gun, Jinan-gun, Changnyeong-gun, Hamyang-gun, Hongcheon-gun, Wando-gun, and Gunsan-si at prices lower than market rates.
Geumcheon-gu (District Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) will open a ‘Chuseok Sister City Agricultural and Marine Specialty Products Direct Market’ at the district office plaza on the 21st and 22nd, selling agricultural and marine specialty products from Goheung, Cheongyang, Namhae, and Hoengseong.
They will also conduct hygiene and safety inspections on Chuseok ritual food items. Jungnang-gu (District Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) conducted inspections of related food manufacturing and sales businesses from the 1st to the 8th.
To ensure the safety of distributed food, they also carried out sample inspections on major ritual and gift foods sold at large marts and traditional markets, as well as rice cakes, hangwa, and processed fish products that sell more during the holiday. Key inspection items include ▲whether manufacturing or sales are unregistered ▲whether expired products or ingredients not allowed for food use are used ▲hygienic handling of food ▲compliance by business operators ▲false origin labeling, etc.
Alongside this, sharing with neighbors in need will also take place. Jongno-gu (District Mayor Jeong Moon-heon) is running the ‘2023 Chuseok Sharing Campaign’ from the 1st to the 20th of this month. Anyone interested can participate by placing items in the ‘Donation Sharing Box’ available at nearby community service centers and the district office’s Welfare Policy Division.
Donatable items include canned goods, canned beverages, sauces, noodles, rice, daily necessities such as soap and toothpaste that can be stored for a long time, as well as gift certificates including Onnuri gift certificates and Happy Money gift certificates. However, fresh foods that may spoil at room temperature, products with poor packaging, and items close to their expiration date are excluded. Additionally, donations can be made by transferring funds to the Jongno-gu Social Welfare Council account to help neighbors in need.
Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) will operate a pet dog care shelter from the 28th to the 30th on the 2nd floor auditorium of the district office for residents returning to their hometowns during the Chuseok holiday.
The shelter is for small dogs weighing 8kg or less that have completed animal registration and rabies vaccination. The care fee is 5,000 won, and applications are accepted from the 11th to the 20th at 6 p.m., limited to one dog per household and capped at 30 dogs on a first-come, first-served basis.
In the first year after Oh Seung-rok, the 7th elected mayor of Nowon-gu, took office, the pet dog shelter was established and has become a nationwide benchmarking case, continuing to be a successful example of resident-centered administration.
In addition, each district office is busy preparing schedules for vehicle maintenance for Chuseok travelers, opening pharmacies and hospitals, opening school parking lots, and cleaning and waste collection.
An official from a Seoul autonomous district said, “Just as families prepare various things to celebrate the Chuseok holiday, each district office is working hard to ensure that residents can have a safe and happy Chuseok.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
