Hwang Jong-woo, the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, visited the Busan seafood market to check on the supply and prices of key seafood items ahead of Chuseok. The ministry plans to ease the burden of holiday shopping through the largest-ever release of government stockpiles and a refund event for Onnuri gift certificates.
On September 18, Minister Hwang visited Jagalchi Market and the Nampo-dong dried seafood wholesale market to assess the price trends and supply conditions of essential seafood items such as croaker, sea bream, and octopus, as well as dried goods like seaweed and anchovies.
To increase the supply of Chuseok essentials, the ministry is releasing 22,000 tons of government stockpiled seafood, nearly double the amount from last year, marking the largest release in history.
From September 16 to 20, a refund event for Onnuri gift certificates is being held at over 300 traditional markets nationwide. The budget for this event has been expanded from 20 billion won last year to 24 billion won this year.
Consumers who purchase domestic seafood at participating traditional markets can receive an immediate refund of up to 30% of their purchase amount, capped at 20,000 won per person, in Onnuri gift certificates.
During his visit, Minister Hwang spoke with market vendors about consumer trends and challenges during the holiday season. He also checked the operation of the refund booths and the waiting conditions for consumers.
Minister Hwang stated, "We are making every effort to stabilize the supply of seafood essentials through the largest-ever release of stockpiles and the Onnuri gift certificate refund event, so that our citizens can enjoy a plentiful Chuseok without financial burden. We will closely monitor the supply of essentials and the progress of seafood discount events until just before the holiday."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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