Minister Hansung Sook Checks Essential Chuseok Goods Prices Ahead of Holiday

Visit to Yeongcheon Market in Dongnimmun and Tea Meeting with Merchants
"Traditional Market Prices Are Reasonable... Fully Committed to Economic Recovery"

Hansung Sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups, visited Yeongcheon Market in Dongnimmun, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul on October 1, ahead of the Chuseok holiday. She checked the supply and price trends of essential Chuseok goods and held a tea meeting with local merchants.

Hansung Sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups, visited Yeongcheon Market in Dongnimmun, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul on the 1st, purchasing goods and encouraging merchants. Ministry of SMEs and Startups

During the tea meeting, merchants shared various on-site opinions about the government’s consumption promotion programs, such as livelihood recovery consumption coupons, win-win payback, and Onnuri gift certificate refund events.

Minister Han stated, "Traditional markets allow consumers to purchase essential holiday items such as soup ingredients, rice cakes, and fruits at more reasonable prices than large supermarkets, helping to ease the burden of holiday shopping baskets. As various consumption promotion measures are being implemented alongside Chuseok, we will make every effort to ensure they are linked to the recovery of the people's economy."

According to the Small Enterprise and Market Service, the cost of preparing a Chuseok ancestral table for a family of four is 298,766 won at traditional markets and 373,164 won at large supermarkets, making traditional markets 74,398 won (19.9%) cheaper. By item, 20 out of the 27 surveyed items were found to be less expensive at traditional markets.

Afterward, Minister Han visited stores run by young entrepreneurs who have inherited family businesses, as well as several other shops in the market, where she purchased traditional Korean sweets such as hangwa, gangjeong, and songpyeon, and encouraged the merchants.