Large Mart Opens Every Weekday Before Chuseok in Jeonju, Closed on Chuseok
Seocho Love Gift Certificates Issued: 8 Billion on 4th, 25 Billion on 11th
Seocho-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) announced on the 4th that it will support shopping by changing the closure days of large supermarkets and issuing local love gift certificates so that residents can have a comfortable and stress-free Chuseok holiday.
Seocho-gu large supermarkets will operate without any days off during the second week of September, the week before Chuseok, to ensure no inconvenience in preparing family food and gifts. The existing designated closure days for each supermarket, which were the 2nd and 4th weeks of each month, will be changed this month from the 2nd week to Chuseok day.
Costco Yangjae branch will change its closure day from the 8th (Sunday) to the 17th (Tuesday), Kim's Club Gangnam branch from the 9th (Monday) to the 17th (Tuesday), and Emart Yangjae branch, Lotte Mart Seocho branch, and 31 semi-large stores from the 11th (Wednesday) to the 17th (Tuesday), which is Chuseok day. This change aims not only to provide convenience for consumers' shopping but also to encourage supermarket employees to rest on Chuseok day, promoting a happy holiday for all residents.
Earlier, since January, Seocho-gu was the first autonomous district in Seoul to shift the mandatory closure days of large supermarkets and semi-large stores from Sundays (2nd and 4th weeks) to weekdays, leading to improved consumer convenience and regulatory reform. During holidays, these closure days are flexibly changed back to Lunar New Year's Day and Chuseok day. Meanwhile, Costco Yangjae branch, which was previously excluded from the weekday closure change, is included in this Chuseok closure day change.
Additionally, Seocho-gu will issue Seocho Love Gift Certificates worth 33 billion KRW to ease the burden of holiday shopping. 8 billion KRW will be issued at 12 PM on the 4th, and 25 billion KRW at 12 PM on the 11th. Consumers can purchase the gift certificates at a 5% discount off the face value, up to a maximum of 500,000 KRW per person. Purchases and payments can be made through the dedicated app, Seoul Pay Plus.
The gift certificates can mainly be used at Seoul Pay Plus affiliated stores such as restaurants, pharmacies, and convenience stores within Seocho-gu, which can be checked through the 'Find Stores' feature in the app. The usage period is five years from the purchase date, and unused gift certificates can be fully refunded. If more than 60% of the face value is used, the remaining balance after deducting the discount support fund will be refunded.
Mayor Jeon Seong-su said, “We paid special attention to supporting shopping so that residents can prepare comfortably and without burden,” adding, “We hope all residents have a joyful holiday, that the weakened consumer sentiment improves, and that it helps revitalize the local economy.”
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