5% Additional Discount Rate Compared to Before Ahead of Chuseok
Refund Event at Traditional Markets Until the 15th
Usage Expanded to Include Mill and More
Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, the government sold Onnuri gift certificates with an additional 5 percentage points discount compared to before, sparking increased interest in where they can be used.
Since the 2nd of last month, the government has been selling Onnuri gift certificates with a discount 5 percentage points higher than before. Paper Onnuri gift certificates were sold at a 10% discount, up from the previous 5%, while mobile and card-type Onnuri gift certificates were sold at a 15% discount, up from 10%. Due to the historically highest discount rate applied, the number of buyers increased, resulting in sales of 406.1 billion KRW, which is 106.1 billion KRW more than the initially prepared 300 billion KRW, and sales ended within three days. Accordingly, the government started a second special discount sale of Onnuri gift certificates worth 1 trillion KRW from the 9th.
Until the 15th, a refund event for Onnuri gift certificates in celebration of Chuseok will be held at traditional markets nationwide. If the purchase amount is between 34,000 KRW and less than 67,000 KRW, 10,000 KRW will be refunded, and if it is 67,000 KRW or more, 20,000 KRW will be refunded. When purchasing at markets that simultaneously hold refund events for agricultural, livestock, and marine products, refunds of up to 40,000 KRW are possible.
The places where Onnuri gift certificates can be used were greatly expanded following the enforcement of the amendment to the “Special Act on the Promotion of Traditional Markets and Shopping Districts” on the 10th. The restricted business categories were reduced from 40 to 28 before the amendment.
Through this, small business owners engaged in small-scale manufacturing such as rice mills, hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) manufacturing, and accessory manufacturing like jewelry can now register as Onnuri gift certificate affiliated stores. Additionally, although located within traditional markets and shopping districts, previously restricted businesses such as Taekwondo, yoga, Pilates, and other sports and recreation academies, piano and other musical instrument lesson academies, art academies, dance academies, acting academies, clinics, Korean medicine clinics, dental clinics, veterinary hospitals, karaoke rooms, and legal and tax offices can now accept Onnuri gift certificates from consumers.
On June 11, Oh Young-joo, Minister of SMEs and Startups, visited Tongin Market in Seoul to inspect stores that were newly included as places where Onnuri gift certificates can be used after being previously restricted. At the rice mill visited by Minister Oh, she expressed expectations, saying, “As the number of places where Onnuri gift certificates can be used increases, customers visiting traditional markets and alleyway shopping districts will definitely increase, which will undoubtedly help revitalize the domestic economy.” The operator of a Kendo academy also said, “Although it is not yet clear if this will immediately translate into sales, it will certainly serve as a significant marketing effect for consumers receiving discount benefits.”
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