Korea Grand Festival: Jeonbuk Cities and Counties Strive to 'Boost Consumer Spending'

Jeongeup Offers Up to 20,000 Won Back; Iksan Up to 25% in Benefits
Muju, Buan Offer Up to 22% in Benefits at Good Price Shops

Local governments in Jeonbuk are rolling out measures to stimulate consumer spending, including gift certificate refunds and additional rewards, to coincide with the Korea Grand Festival, which runs from October 29 through November 15. Their efforts aim to breathe life into struggling local commercial districts, but most of the programs are temporary and will end early if their budgets run out, so it remains to be seen whether the impact will continue after the festival.

Jeongeup City will hold a refund event at Saemgoeul Market on November 2, offering customers who make purchases that day up to 20,000 won in Onnuri gift certificates. Courtesy of Jeongeup City Hall.

Jeongeup City will hold a refund event at Samgoeul Market on November 2, giving customers who make purchases that day Onnuri Gift Certificates. Customers who spend at least 50,000 won but less than 90,000 won will receive 10,000 won in certificates, while those who spend 90,000 won or more will receive 20,000 won. Refunds will be issued from 9 a.m. at the customer lounge on the first floor of the Samgoeul Market Merchants Association office, and the event will end early if the budget runs out.

Participation is limited to one time per person, and refunds cannot be claimed on someone else's behalf. Customers must bring their card or cash receipt and ID and visit in person. Mayor Lee Hak-su said, "I hope this refund event will give residents an opportunity to shop economically and help revitalize traditional markets," adding, "I ask for the public's interest and participation."

Iksan City is offering a special discount that provides an additional 5% refund on Dairoum payments during the Korea Grand Festival, a nationwide consumption-boosting event running for 18 days from Oct. 29 to Nov. 15. Provided by Iksan City Hall.

Iksan City will provide an additional refund equivalent to 5% of payments made with Dairoum, its local love gift certificate, without requiring a separate application. The city announced on October 28 that it had secured 741 million won in central government funding, the largest amount among local governments in the province, for the program. The refund applies to payments of up to 300,000 won per person, for a maximum refund of 15,000 won. After verifying payment cancellations and other details, the city will distribute the refunds in a lump sum on December 4.

At policy-supported merchants, including Chicken Road, Youth Mall and Dairoum Taxi, customers can receive benefits of up to 25%, combining a base reward of 10%, a 10% policy subsidy and the 5% special discount. The maximum benefit is 20% at Good Price Shops and 15% at local bookstores and the Global Culture Center. The program is also intended to ease residents' disappointment over the city's adjustment of monthly purchase limits as it seeks to distribute benefits more evenly through the end of the year.

An Iksan City official said, "We hope this will provide some help to residents who were disappointed by the adjustment of purchase limits, which was made to ensure that no one is left out and that everyone can continue to benefit through the end of the year." The official added, "We will continue to carefully manage Dairoum so it provides tangible support for household finances and a solid boost for local small businesses."

Muju County will provide a 5% festival reward and an additional 5% reward from participating shops when customers pay with Muju Love Gift Certificates at 36 Good Price Shops. Including the 12% discount applied when adding funds, customers can receive benefits of up to 22%. The county will continue providing the additional 5% reward through December, even after the festival ends, unless the budget runs out sooner. It is also stepping up promotion through village heads' meetings, the county website and social media.

Lee Ji-young, head of the Industrial Economy Division, said, "The consumer festival has come together with Good Price Shops, which are leading efforts to stabilize local prices during this difficult time, to deliver significant benefits to both county residents and visitors to Muju." Lee added, "We will do our utmost to ensure that the additional rewards encourage economical spending and serve as a catalyst for revitalizing local commercial districts."

Buan County is offering an additional 5% cashback on purchases made at local merchants that accept Buan Sarang Gift Certificates, in conjunction with the Korea Grand Festival, a nationwide consumer spending promotion. Photo provided by Buan County Office.

Buan County will add a 5% festival cashback to the standard 12% cashback on payments made with Buan Love Gift Certificates. At Good Price Shops, an additional 5% cashback, in effect since September 14, also applies, bringing the total benefit to as much as 22%. Starting November 2, the discount at the time of purchase will be replaced by cashback at the time of payment. The county plans to use this change as an opportunity to continue promoting consumer spending in conjunction with local commercial districts, including traditional markets and neighborhood shopping areas.

County Governor Kwon Ik-hyun said, "We hope the Korea Grand Festival special discount will help residents spend economically and provide local merchants with much-needed relief as they cope with challenging business conditions." He added, "We will continue to pursue a range of measures to revitalize the local economy and improve people's livelihoods that residents can experience directly in their daily lives."

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