President Yoon's '875 Won Green Onion' Controversy: "There Are Precedents vs. Out of Touch with Reality"

"One Bunch of Green Onions 875 Won, Reasonable"
Democratic Party Criticizes "Unaware of Prices"

"875 won for a bunch of green onions seems like a reasonable price."

Following President Yoon Seok-yeol's visit to the Nonghyup Hanaro Mart Yangjae branch on the afternoon of the 18th and his remarks, various online communities have been engaged in heated debates over the '875 won green onions.'

The price of green onions sold at Nonghyup Hanaro Mart Yangjae Branch in Seocho-gu, Seoul.
[Photo source=Online flyer capture from Hanaro Mart Yangjae Branch]

On the 19th, articles containing President Yoon's remarks were rapidly shared across multiple online communities. Netizens shared the articles with comments such as, "Isn't that the price for a single stalk, not a bunch?", "Did someone mistake 875 won per 100g for a bunch?", "Where did he see that a bunch costs 875 won?", "Has he ever shopped at a mart? He is completely unaware of the prices," and "Green onions in my neighborhood cost over 4,000 won, this is strange," expressing criticism.

There were also reactions suggesting that President Yoon might have misunderstood the price of the subdivided green onions. One netizen speculated, "While searching at a large mart, I found a 990 won price, but it is guessed that President Yoon saw 875g, not 875 won."

According to the Agricultural Products Distribution Information from the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation on the 19th, the average retail price for a bunch of green onions (1kg) as of the 18th was 3,018 won. Although this is lower than the 4,005 won from a week earlier, it is still higher than the average price of 2,982 won. The highest price reached 7,300 won.

President Yoon Suk-yeol visited the Nonghyup Hanaro Mart Yangjae branch in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 18th to check the price of green onions.
[Photo by Presidential Office Press Photographers Group]

875 won is also an actual price. According to statistics from large marts and other retail stores, one distribution company in Seoul lists the price as 875 won. The distribution company that President Yoon appears to have visited sold a bunch of green onions for 2,760 won until a week ago, then lowered the price to 1,000 won before the presidential visit, and further reduced it to 875 won on the day of the visit.

With a 30% discount support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, green onions that normally sell for 1,250 won are being sold at 875 won, a 375 won discount, limited to 1,000 bunches per day from March 18 to 20 to some customers.

However, other Hanaro Mart branches and large marts currently sell a bunch of green onions for 2,400 to 4,000 won. According to the distribution industry, the current wholesale price for a bunch of green onions is 3,300 won, and the recommended retail price at large marts is 4,250 won.

Democratic Party: "875 won for a bunch of green onions? That shows complete ignorance of the real world."

Green onions sold at Nonghyup Hanaro Mart Yangjae branch.
[Photo by Nonghyup Hanaro Mart Yangjae branch]

The Democratic Party also fueled the green onion price controversy that day. Shin Hyun-young, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, criticized, “President Yoon Seok-yeol is making ignorant remarks like ‘875 won for a bunch of green onions seems like a reasonable price.’ A bunch of green onions costs 9,000 won, and a head of napa cabbage is over 5,000 won. If he understood the economic reality felt by the people, he wouldn’t claim that the inflation rate is lower than other countries.”

Earlier, on the 18th, President Yoon visited the Nonghyup Hanaro Mart Yangjae branch to inspect the store and check the price trends of agricultural and livestock products.

President Yoon first visited the fruit section, where prices have recently surged, and inquired about apple prices. Yeom Ki-dong, CEO of Nonghyup Distribution, explained, “The government supports the suppliers with delivery price subsidies and distributes coupons to consumers, which helped lower the selling prices through government support.”

Then, when President Yoon visited the vegetable section and asked CEO Yeom whether the green onion prices differed from those in traditional markets or other places, Yeom replied, “Nonghyup has invested its own budget to lower prices, so there may be differences, but the government discount support system also applies to traditional markets.”