Yoon: "Lowering Delivery Fees for Small Merchants... Establishing Reservation Deposit System to Prevent No-Shows"

Yoon Announces Small Business Measures at Livelihood Forum
Delivery Fees for Small Merchants Reduced by 30%, Traditional Markets 0%
Mentions Baek Jong-won, Promises "Fostering Private Commercial Planners"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is holding a public discussion on livelihood titled "Small Business Owners and Self-Employed Running Again, Vibrant Neighborhood Commercial Districts" with the people at Art Center Goma in Gongju, Chungnam on the 2nd. Photo by Yonhap News

President Yoon Suk-yeol announced support measures for small business owners and self-employed workers on the 2nd. Over the next three years, the delivery commission burden for small merchants will be reduced by more than 30%, and relief measures for no-shows and malicious comments will be strengthened. Additionally, private commercial district planners will be nurtured to expand local attractions like Yesan Market, which was developed by Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea.

On the 2nd, President Yoon presided over the "Livelihood Discussion with the People" held at the Art Center Goma in Gongju, Chungnam, and presented these support measures for small business owners and self-employed workers. The livelihood discussion was held under the theme "Small Business Owners and Self-Employed Workers Running Again, Vibrant Alley Commercial Districts."

First, President Yoon emphasized that small business owners make up 95% of all companies and 46% of employment, serving as the foundation and backbone of the Korean economy, and stressed that only when they regain vitality and work vigorously can the path to overcoming polarization be seen.

He then announced that next year's budget exclusively for small business owners and self-employed workers will be the largest ever at 5.9 trillion won. Through this, he emphasized that proactive domestic demand and consumption stimulation measures will be devised to empower small business owners and self-employed workers.

The delivery commission, which is a heavy burden for small business owners and self-employed workers, will be reduced by more than 30% over three years, focusing on small stores. For traditional markets, a 0% rate will be applied. Also, the current mobile gift certificate commission rate of 5-14% will be lowered, and a win-win plan to shorten the long settlement cycle will be prepared within the year.

In particular, President Yoon decided to strengthen relief measures for the four major damages to small business owners' livelihoods, including no-shows and malicious reviews/comments, which have recently become controversial.

Regarding no-shows, considering the reality that damages reach 4.5 trillion won annually, President Yoon explained that a reservation deposit system that both consumers and sellers can agree on will be established, and consumer dispute resolution standards will be presented.

To resolve the issue of malicious reviews and comments, 90 nationwide reporting and counseling centers will be established for malicious reviews and comments posted on online platforms. If reviews and comments are determined to be malicious, swift deletion or masking measures will be taken in cooperation with the platform companies.

For businesses that have faithfully notified the ban on disposable products inside stores, even if customers use disposable products inside the store due to a change of mind and are caught, measures will be taken to exempt the business owner from fines.

Yesan Market, established as a nationwide attraction. Photo by Yonhap News

Efforts will also be accelerated to revitalize local commercial districts.

President Yoon mentioned the commercial districts around Jemincheon in Gongju and Seongsimdang in Daejeon, explaining, "By 2027, we will nurture 1,000 private commercial district planners to creatively plan development strategies for commercial districts."

President Yoon said, "Baek Jong-won completely transformed Yesan Market through private commercial district planning," and added, "We will nurture private commercial district planners to take on such tasks."

In addition, President Yoon decided to establish 10 "local makerspaces" nationwide, creative spaces where local entrepreneurs, residents, and merchants can actively engage and interact for regional commercialization and commercial district inflow, similar to France's "local workshops."

The Presidential Office stated, "This discussion was President Yoon's first livelihood activity after emphasizing 'overcoming polarization' at the first senior secretaries meeting of the second half of his term," and added, "Starting with directly listening to voices from the field and discussing support measures, the efforts to overcome polarization, set as a national goal for the second half of his term, have been fully launched."

About 80 people attended the livelihood discussion, including small business owners, commercial district planners, academics and experts, and government and local government officials. From the Presidential Office and government, Minister Oh Young-joo of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Chairman Han Ki-jung of the Fair Trade Commission, Chairman Kim Byung-hwan of the Financial Services Commission, First Vice Minister Kim Beom-seok of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Chief Secretary Jeong Jin-seok of the Presidential Office were present.