Supporting Stable Consumption with Year-Round Consistent Benefits
Used by 7 Out of 10 Citizens... Record-High Growth in Subscribers
On March 3, Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province announced that it will continue its 10% incentive policy for the 'Namyangju Sarang Gift Certificate' unchanged this year.
Namyangju City will continue its 10% incentive policy on the 'Namyangju Love Gift Certificate' without change this year as well. Provided by Namyangju City
Amid nationwide economic difficulties such as high inflation and an economic downturn, there is a growing trend across the country to reduce or terminate local currency budgets early. While many local governments have set their incentive rates at around 6-8%, the increasing budgetary burden has led some to reduce the scale of issuance or end the programs sooner than planned.
In contrast to this trend, Namyangju City will maintain the 10% incentive rate throughout the year, offering a differentiated policy. The city is boldly supplementing national government funding with additional municipal funds, ensuring that citizens receive consistent benefits year-round.
In particular, the city has raised the recharge limit to 300,000 won per month and 500,000 won during holidays. By doing so, it is not only supporting stable consumption in daily life but also boosting sales for small business owners and easing the financial burden on households-achieving both objectives simultaneously.
Over the past five years, cumulative issuance of the Namyangju Sarang Gift Certificate has reached 1.4341 trillion won, with a total of 131 billion won in incentives-including 66.2 billion won in municipal funds-returned to citizens.
Currently, the number of Namyangju Sarang Gift Certificate subscribers has surpassed 450,000, which is approximately 68% of the city’s residents aged 14 and above. Notably, this year alone, over 10,000 new subscribers have joined within a single month, reflecting unprecedented trust and positive response from citizens regarding the policy.
The city plans to allocate a total incentive budget of 27.6 billion won this year to continue its support. In addition, payment services such as Samsung Pay, Naver Pay, and Kakao Pay have been introduced, enabling convenient payments without the need for a physical card.
Going forward, the city will continue to expand citizen-oriented benefits through various promotions, including additional recharge events.
Mayor Joo Gwangdeok of Namyangju stated, "During these difficult times of high inflation, the Namyangju Sarang Gift Certificate is a key driver for reviving small businesses and easing the burden on citizens’ daily expenses. We will continue to do our utmost to invigorate the local economy by supporting citizens throughout the year and maintaining the 10% incentive policy, thereby empowering daily life and increasing sales for small business owners."
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