This Year's Chuseok Ancestral Table Cost 209,494 Won...1.6% Increase

"Traditional Markets Are 10% Cheaper Than Large Retailers"

The Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) announced on the 8th that the average cost of setting up a Charye table for this year's Chuseok is 209,494 KRW, which is 1.6% higher than last year.

Five days before the major Korean holiday Chuseok, apple gift sets are being sold at Hanaro Mart Yangjae Branch in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

This survey was conducted on the 6th at 16 traditional markets and 34 large retail stores across 23 regions nationwide. Reflecting the trend of simplifying Charye, 24 items were surveyed based on a family of four.

The cost of setting up a Charye table when shopping at traditional markets is 194,712 KRW, which is 10% less than at large retail stores (216,450 KRW).

Among the 24 surveyed items, 14 were cheaper at traditional markets than at large retail stores.

However, some processed foods such as cheongju (rice wine) and flour, as well as apples, pears, napa cabbage, radish, beef (seoldo cut), yellow croaker, and chestnuts were cheaper when purchased at large retail stores due to government discount support.

When receiving government discount support for agricultural, fishery, and livestock products at large retail stores, it is possible to shop up to 60% cheaper depending on the item.

The cost of setting up the Charye table was also found to be 5.2% lower than before the discount.

Looking at the average market prices of detailed items sold at traditional markets and large retail stores, the prices of apples and pears, whose supply is increasing ahead of Chuseok, fell by 13.1% and 10.4% respectively compared to a year ago.

However, vegetable prices rose compared to last year due to Chuseok occurring earlier than usual and the prolonged heatwave last month, but aT forecasts that the rate of increase will gradually decrease as temperatures drop.

Prices of wild products such as chestnuts and jujubes also rose compared to last year due to a decrease in inventory before the shipment of new products and increased demand for Chuseok.

Moon In-cheol, aT's Director of Supply and Demand, said, "We will do our best in cooperation with the government to reduce the burden of grocery prices on the public until the end of the Chuseok peak season."