[2026 Audit] Minister Lee So-Young of SMEs and Startups: "Reviewing Measures to Restrict Product Categories on the Online Traditional Market Hall"

"High-Priced Imported Products Do Not Align with the Purpose of the Onnuri Program"

So-Young Lee, Minister of SMEs and Startups, stated that she does not believe selling high-priced imported electronic products and similar items through the Online Traditional Market Hall using Onnuri Gift Certificates aligns with the intended purpose of the program. She announced that the ministry would review measures to restrict the types of products that can be sold.

On October 7, during the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ annual audit by the National Assembly’s Trade, Industry, Energy, Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups Committee, Minister Lee made this statement in response to Assemblyman Park Sungmin from the People Power Party, who raised concerns about how Onnuri Gift Certificates are being used in the Online Traditional Market Hall.

The Online Traditional Market Hall is an online shopping platform designed to expand sales channels for traditional market vendors and store owners, where transactions can be made using Onnuri Gift Certificates. During the audit, it was pointed out that, contrary to the system’s intended purpose of revitalizing traditional markets, the platform has even allowed the sale of imported electronic products worth several million won.

On the 7th, at the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups Committee's audit, So-Young Lee, Minister of SMEs and Startups, is responding to questions. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Assemblyman Park highlighted that while the purchase limit for Onnuri Gift Certificates is 1 million won, there is no cap on payment amounts, which makes it possible to buy high-priced products through the Online Traditional Market Hall. He specifically mentioned high-end imported products, such as Dyson vacuum cleaners and British audio equipment costing 8 million won, and asked, “Shouldn’t there be measures to address this?”

Minister Lee emphasized, “I made the same point during our internal meeting last week.” She continued, “At some stores located in traditional markets, high-priced electronic goods are being imported, purchased, and sold. Just because the store is located within a traditional market, these sellers are able to join the Online Traditional Market Hall and make sales using discounted Onnuri Gift Certificates, but I do not believe this is in line with the original intent of the program.”

The issue of high sales commissions on the Online Traditional Market Hall was also raised. Assemblyman Park noted, “Although the commission rates vary by platform, they are generally around 13 percent,” adding, “There are claims that this provides no real benefit to traditional market merchants, only increasing platform profits,” and asked whether the ministry was investigating this matter. In response, Minister Lee said, “I am aware of this,” adding, “I also understand that there is a significant gap in commission fees between smaller platforms and large corporate platforms.”

Minister Lee reiterated her position to review restricting the categories of products available on the Online Traditional Market Hall. She stated, “For the past 18 years, there has been no restriction on the types of products that can be sold with Onnuri Gift Certificates,” and, “Imposing product restrictions is feasible on a technical and contractual basis, so we will review the matter and report back.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.