Seocho-gu Lifts Early Morning Operating Restrictions on Large Marts... "Enabling Early Morning Delivery"

Operating hours restriction from midnight to 8 AM changed to only 2 to 3 AM
Full online sales allowed from July
Nationwide first large mart pushing for full permission of dawn delivery

Seocho District Office building. Provided by Seocho District Office.

The early morning operating hour restrictions for large supermarkets in Seocho-gu, Seoul, have been effectively lifted, allowing full online operations including early morning delivery starting this July. Seocho-gu announced on the 27th that it has implemented an administrative notice to change the operating restriction hours for large supermarkets and quasi-large stores from the previous 12:00 AM to 8:00 AM (8 hours) to 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM (1 hour).

The businesses affected by this measure include four large supermarkets in the area (E-mart Yangjae Branch, Lotte Mart Seocho Branch, Kim's Club Gangnam Branch, Costco Yangjae Branch) and 33 quasi-large stores (Lotte Super, Homeplus, etc.).

Following this administrative notice, Seocho-gu plans to hold a Distribution Industry Win-Win Development Council meeting and complete final official announcements to implement the change in operating hour restrictions for large supermarkets within July. Earlier in January, the district became the first in Seoul to change the mandatory closure days for large supermarkets to weekdays. Subsequent surveys showed increases in both sales and visitors for large supermarkets and nearby small business stores.

Seocho-gu is the only district nationwide to proactively lift operating hour restrictions, expecting to become a starting point for nationwide changes including Seoul. The removal of operating hour restrictions that had limited online distribution by large supermarkets and the allowance of early morning delivery are expected to enhance resident convenience and revitalize the local economy.

The district stated, “In a situation where shopping demand is rapidly shifting online and overseas ultra-low-price direct delivery platforms are encroaching on the domestic market, ‘freedom of delivery time’ for large supermarkets will broaden consumer choices and promote growth and development through free competition in the distribution industry.”

Seocho-gu added, “While adjusting operating restriction hours under the legal authority granted to local governments, leaving a one-hour restriction (2:00 AM to 3:00 AM) reflects anticipation for future government and National Assembly legislative amendments to fully lift operating restrictions.” Currently, the government has begun discussions through the State Affairs Ministerial Meeting to improve regulations on large supermarket operating hours.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, emphasized, “I am glad that we could lift the last regulation of operating hour restrictions, which had remained unchanged despite rapid changes in the distribution environment. This role is both the authority and responsibility of the district mayor for consumers, the local economy, and the distribution industry.”

Meanwhile, Seocho-gu’s first deregulation of large supermarkets, the change of mandatory closure days to weekdays, began in January and has extended to Dongdaemun-gu, with 23 districts in Busan completing or announcing weekday changes. Additionally, Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province is reportedly signing a win-win agreement for weekday changes.