Seo-gu District in Gwangju Holds 400 Million Won Onnuri Gift Certificate Refund Event for Lunar New Year

From the 6th to the 19th, over two weeks

Refund benefits of up to 50,000 won per person

Upfront discount plus payback

Maximum effective discount of 15%

Seo-gu District in Gwangju Metropolitan City will significantly expand its "Onnuri Gift Certificate Payback (Refund) Event" to coincide with the Lunar New Year holiday period, when consumer spending is concentrated.

The Seo-gu District Office announced that from the 6th to the 19th, over a two-week period, it will increase the refund budget from the existing 200 million won to 400 million won, and will also raise the weekly refund limit per person from 10,000 won to 25,000 won.

Accordingly, when residents use digital Onnuri gift certificates within Seo-gu District, they can receive a 5% refund of the payment amount for any transaction of 20,000 won or more, and can receive benefits of up to 50,000 won during the event period. In particular, digital Onnuri gift certificates offer a 10% upfront discount at the time of purchase, so when combined with the payback, residents can enjoy a maximum effective discount of 15%, which is expected to further increase the tangible benefits for residents.

Seo-gu District, which is the only local government in the country implementing an Onnuri gift certificate refund policy, has prepared this livelihood stabilization measure to reduce residents' economic burden ahead of the holiday while at the same time revitalizing neighborhood commercial districts. Previously, Seo-gu had been running the payback event on a weekly basis since January, and it is estimated that over the four-week period, around 100,000 people participated in the event and enjoyed 400 million won in discount benefits.

Seo-gu District Mayor Kim Ikang said, "We have significantly expanded the payback benefits so that they can provide practical help to both small business owners and residents ahead of the holiday," adding, "We will do our best to build 'Seo-gu, a good economic city' that strengthens neighborhood commercial districts and serves as a bountiful Lunar New Year gift for residents."

Meanwhile, last year Seo-gu District became the first in the country to designate its entire jurisdiction as a neighborhood-type commercial district, leading the revitalization of the local economy based on Onnuri gift certificates. It is drawing attention as a successful model highlighted by the central government, with Prime Minister Kim Minseok personally visiting the site.