Gangjin Sarang Gift Certificate Generates 6.6 Billion Won Economic Effect in January

Purchase Limit Increased and 15% Discount
Sales Up 2.1 Times Year-on-Year
Mobile Payments Rise 2.8 Times, Drawing Attention
Both Residents and Merchants Celebrate

Gangjin County in Jeollanam-do (Governor Kang Jinwon) achieved an economic impact of 6.6 billion KRW by increasing the purchase limit and discount rate for the Gangjin Sarang Gift Certificate in celebration of the 2025 Lunar New Year.

According to the county on the 7th, in January, the monthly purchase limit for the Gangjin Sarang Gift Certificate was raised from 700,000 KRW to 1,000,000 KRW, and for mobile certificates, the discount rate was increased from 10% to 15%.

Self-Purchased Promotion Poster. Provided by Gangjin County

As a result, paper gift certificate sales amounted to 3.8 billion KRW, and mobile gift certificate sales reached 2.8 billion KRW, totaling 6.6 billion KRW in sales. This is an increase of 3.4 billion KRW (2.1 times) compared to last year's Lunar New Year.

In particular, mobile gift certificate sales increased by 2.8 times compared to the previous year, and the actual amount spent after purchasing mobile certificates was recorded at 2.2 billion KRW, resulting in a consumption rate of 81%. This indicates that the consumer base preferring mobile payments is expanding.

The 5% cashback accumulation for mobile gift certificates encouraged faster spending than the previous upfront discount, and as all accumulated cashback was also spent locally, the overall consumption scale increased.

One mobile gift certificate user said, "It's nice to get a 10% discount when purchasing the certificate, but accumulating cashback with every payment makes it more enjoyable to use, so I used Chak more often," and added, "I hope the county will continue to implement policies that provide real benefits to residents."

To revitalize the local economy, the county has been implementing a 'visiting service' since January to significantly expand the number of affiliated merchants accepting the mobile (Chak) Gangjin Sarang Gift Certificate. Staff members visit stores directly to provide guidance on how to use Chak for affiliated merchants, and for non-affiliated stores, they promote membership registration and merchant applications.

In addition, township office staff are being trained on how to use Chak, and manuals and promotional materials are being distributed to further expand affiliated merchants. Based on these efforts, the county plans to actively ensure that more local residents and small business owners can benefit.