Yoon's Watch Once Worth 200,000 Won
Watch Flood Sales Continue After Martial Law
Since the 12·3 Emergency Martial Law incident, the trading price of President Yoon Suk-yeol's commemorative watch has been declining.
According to Yonhap News on the 11th, on the online secondhand trading platform Junggonara, one 'Classic' model of President Yoon's commemorative watch was traded for 80,000 won on the 7th. Two days earlier, on the 5th, one blue 'Sports' model was traded for 60,000 won. The price of the commemorative watch, which was initially formed in the 200,000 won range at the beginning of President Yoon's term, dropped to the 100,000 won range this year and fell by more than half after the martial law incident.
The front of President Yoon's commemorative watch is engraved with the signature "President Yoon Suk-yeol" along with a phoenix pattern, and the back is inscribed with the phrase "Again Korea! A New Nation of the People," which has been used as a slogan since the presidential inauguration. One type each for men and women was produced, and the cost price is known to be around 40,000 to 50,000 won.
President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering a national address at the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul on the 7th. Photo by Yonhap News
After the martial law incident, the number of secondhand listings also increased. Over the past year, a total of 243 listings were posted on the Junggonara site. Among these, 12 listings were posted within a week after the martial law declaration. Until then, one listing was posted every day or every two days, but since the 3rd of this month, 2 to 3 listings have been posted daily. On the day after the martial law declaration, the 4th, six listings were registered.
The secondhand market price of President Yoon's commemorative watch, based on a single item in normal working condition, is lower than the most recently posted watches of Moon Jae-in (180,000 won), Park Geun-hye (90,000 won), Roh Tae-woo (120,000 won), and Chun Doo-hwan (84,000 won).
Meanwhile, the first presidential watch produced in Korea was made for former President Park Chung-hee. It is known that President Park invited Saemaul leaders to the Blue House in the 1970s to encourage them and gave watches as gifts. Since then, successive presidents have created commemorative watches, establishing it as a tradition. Although the production cost is set low, the watches have gained popularity due to their rarity and as symbols of friendship with power.
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