Kwon Chil-seung: "Traditional Markets Also Prepare for 'Contactless Economy'... Support for Digital Transformation"

Minister of SMEs Visits Daejeon Traditional Market...Listening to On-site Voices
"Focusing Efforts on Boosting Sales to Recover from COVID-19 Crisis"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] "It is essential for traditional markets to prepare for the contactless economy in the post-COVID-19 era."

On the 8th, Kwon Chil-seung, Minister of SMEs and Startups, continued his visits to small business sites. Ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, Minister Kwon visited Hanmin Market located in Seo-gu, Daejeon, to listen to the voices of small business owners.

This visit was arranged to check the progress of policies promoted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, such as the Small Business Support Fund and the contactless and digital transformation of traditional markets, and to communicate with small business owners on-site.

Minister Kwon also visited small business support facilities and restaurants in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 5th as part of his on-site communication efforts. He did not hold a separate inauguration ceremony but instead distributed an inaugural address.

On this day, Minister Kwon, along with Kim Jong-cheon, president of the Hanmin Market Merchants Association, demonstrated the 'online shopping' system using a private platform on digital signage installed at the market entrance.

The online shopping system is a service that allows traditional markets to deliver to nearby residential areas and nationwide via courier, just like large supermarkets, through online channels.

This system is a project promoted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups with the goal of establishing it in 500 markets by 2025. As of last month, it has been implemented in over 130 traditional markets nationwide, including Hanmin Market.

Minister Kwon said, "It is essential for traditional markets to prepare for the contactless economy in the post-COVID-19 era," adding, "The government will strengthen support for online and digital transformation along with hardware-based infrastructure such as facility modernization."

While touring the traditional market stores, he purchased fruits, meat, rice cakes, and dried seafood, comforting small business owners struggling due to COVID-19. He also listened to on-site feedback regarding the effects of government policies such as the Support Fund and small business loans.

Minister Kwon emphasized, "We will focus all our capabilities on raising the sales of small business owners, which have been depressed so far, and recovering to the pre-COVID-19 situation as soon as possible."

He stated, "We will prepare various support measures to repay the sacrifice and dedication shown by small business owners in achieving K-quarantine."

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