Gyeonggi-do Public Officials Bring Warmth to Local Economy Frozen by COVID-19

Books donated by Gyeonggi Provincial Government officials to residents quarantined in Icheon

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has taken the lead in revitalizing the local economy, which has been depressed due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), by closing the provincial government cafeteria one day a week and purchasing agricultural specialty products from Icheon.

The province announced on the 17th that it has established and will implement a 'Plan to Revitalize Local Commercial Districts through Employee Participation,' designating every Friday until next month as a day off for the provincial government cafeteria to encourage employees to use nearby restaurants.

In particular, the province decided to designate specific days for each department to use external restaurants separately to help increase sales for small business owners and create an atmosphere of commercial district revitalization.

The average daily number of cafeteria users at the provincial government is about 1,000 people, and if they use nearby restaurants and traditional markets, it is expected that about 30 million won per month will be added to the sales of local commercial districts, positively impacting the local economy.

Additionally, to support the sales channels of agricultural and livestock products in Icheon City, where the temporary living facility for Wuhan evacuees is located, the province plans to prioritize purchasing cafeteria ingredients from Icheon products and operate a Saturday market and permanent sales center within the government building to promote the purchase of Icheon agricultural specialty products.

In the mid to long term, until the situation ends, the province plans to hold various events hosted by the province in Icheon City and launch a campaign encouraging provincial and public institution employees to visit Icheon on weekends and holidays called the 'Go to Icheon Tourist Spots' movement.

Even after the situation ends, the province plans to induce consumption in local commercial districts by implementing a family day with regular early leave twice a week (Wednesday and Friday) and a collective flexible work system.

Earlier, on the 14th, the province received donations of about 250 books from provincial government employees and decided to deliver them to residents under self-quarantine through the Gyeonggi Volunteer Center.

This book donation aims to help residents find psychological stability and emotional comfort in isolated spaces.

A provincial official explained, "In a situation where the difficulties of local merchants are increasing, as public officials, we decided to implement measures such as closing the cafeteria and using traditional markets to contribute even a small amount of support," adding, "If public officials take the lead in using traditional markets, it will not only help local small business owners but also help residents overcome their anxiety."

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