Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok Encourages Market Merchants Struggling Due to COVID-19

Visit to Mokpo General Fish Market and Cheongho Market... Listening to Difficulties and Conducting Shopping Event

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, encouraged market merchants struggling due to COVID-19.

According to Jeonnam Province on the 16th, Governor Kim visited Mokpo General Fishery Market and Cheongho Market consecutively to comfort traditional market merchants facing difficulties from COVID-19 quarantine measures and heatwaves, and shopped together with the market merchant association.

This visit was arranged to listen to the difficulties of merchants struggling due to a decrease in customers visiting the markets amid rising anxiety caused by the spread of local infections from COVID-19, and to encourage them.

Governor Kim explained to the merchants the support policies such as the Hope Recovery Fund for small business owners and the achievements of Jeonnam Province’s efforts for merchants, including the abolition of business registration requirements to support income stabilization funds for street vendors within the markets.

He also expressed gratitude for the traditional market merchants’ active cooperation in complying with quarantine rules so far.

In February, the province provided emergency livelihood support funds totaling 9.9 billion KRW to 4,530 unregistered business operators and street vendors within traditional markets, who were excluded from government disaster relief funds, giving 500,000 KRW per person across 11 industries to support traditional market merchants.

In March, through multiple appeals to the National Assembly and government, street vendors within markets were added to the recipients of the 4th disaster relief fund.

As a result of requesting the government to relax payment conditions for merchants excluded from income stabilization funds due to business registration requirements, the abolition of the business registration requirement on the 9th opened the way for about 4,200 market merchants in the province to receive disaster relief funds.

While purchasing goods at a store using Jeonnam Happiness Local Currency, Governor Kim said, “Although everyone is struggling due to the 4th wave of COVID-19 and the spread of the Delta variant, small business owners in the region, including traditional market merchants, are especially facing difficulties. I hope the residents will maintain quarantine order well and engage in kind consumption by supporting their neighbors, the traditional market merchants.”

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