Dobong-gu Makes Every Effort to Boost Sales in Local Businesses Affected by COVID-19 Slump

Published 21 Feb.2020 06:22(KST)

To Revitalize the Local Economy Shrunk by COVID-19, In-House Cafeteria Closed Twice a Month... All Employees (About 1,600) Participate in Local Economy Activation by Purchasing 228 Million KRW Worth of Dobong Love Gift Certificates and Traditional Market Gift Certificates

Lee Dong-jin, Mayor of Dobong-gu, is presiding over a comprehensive COVID-19 countermeasure meeting at the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the basement first floor of Dobong-gu Office.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Dobong-gu (Mayor Dong-jin Lee) is making every effort to revitalize traditional markets and local shopping districts, which have been depressed due to COVID-19, with the participation of the mayor, employees, affiliated organizations, and related groups.

The district has formed and is operating a local shopping district monitoring team, including traditional market merchant associations, to identify the damages suffered by small business owners and prepare countermeasures, thereby understanding and resolving the difficulties faced by local small business owners.

Recently, to support small business owners struggling due to the contraction of consumer sentiment caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the voluntary participation of employees has led to expanding the closure of the district’s cafeterias from once a month to twice a month.

On cafeteria closure days, each department will take turns visiting local restaurants in Ssangmun-dong, Chang-dong, Dobong-dong, and Banghak-dong by district area to help increase sales for small business owners.

Additionally, to provide practical assistance to small business owners, over 1,600 Dobong-gu office employees have purchased 80 million KRW worth of ‘Dobong Love Gift Certificates’ and 148 million KRW worth of ‘Traditional Market (Onnuri) Gift Certificates,’ actively working to revive the local shopping districts and traditional markets that have seen fewer visitors.

Mayor Dong-jin Lee of Dobong-gu stated, “We empathize with the pain of small business owners who are struggling due to anxiety about COVID-19 and the contraction of consumer sentiment, and to support them, employees and related organizations are working together to implement various policies. We will actively support small business owners to overcome these difficulties.”