'The Smiles of Traditional Market Merchants Lighting Up the Nation' Korea Tourism Organization's Smile Ambassador Campaign

Top 10 K-Tourism Markets with 505 Traditional Market Stores Participating
Nationwide Online and Offline Event from the 5th

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 4th that they will promote the 'Smile Ambassador Campaign' to improve awareness of traditional market services and foster a sound commercial culture.

Smile Ambassador Gwangju Yangdong Market.
[Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]

This campaign involves the voluntary participation of 505 stores from 10 traditional markets nationwide, selected as the top 10 K-Tourism Markets.

Participating merchants pledge to provide friendly and honest services to customers, including implementing fixed pricing, welcoming card payments, and adhering to cleanliness and hygiene standards.

The Korea Tourism Organization will support participating stores with Smile Ambassador plaques and service improvement training, and plans to lead the campaign promotion by producing videos featuring the merchants themselves.

The 10 markets selected as K-Tourism Markets are ▲Seoul Pungmul Market ▲Daegu Seomun Market ▲Incheon Sinpo International Market ▲Gwangju Yangdong Traditional Market ▲Gyeonggi Suwon Nammun Rodeo Market ▲Gangwon Sokcho Tourism Fisheries Market ▲Chungbuk Danyang Gukyeong Market ▲Jeonnam Suncheon Utjang Market ▲Gyeongbuk Andong Market Federation ▲Gyeongnam Jinju Jungang Nonggae Market.

Additionally, from the 5th to the 29th of this month, the Korea Tourism Organization will conduct an online and offline national event called 'Find the Smile Ambassador.' By leaving supportive comments for the Smile Ambassadors of the K-Tourism Markets on the Korea Tourism website or posting photos of visits to Smile Ambassador stores on social media, 1,000 people will be selected by lottery to receive prizes.

Moreover, on the 9th (Danyang Gukyeong Market / Jinju Jungang Nonggae Market), the 10th (Incheon Sinpo International Market / Andong Market Federation), the 16th (Seoul Pungmul Market / Daegu Seomun Market / Gwangju Yangdong Traditional Market), and the 17th (Suwon Nammun Rodeo Market / Suncheon Utjang Market), promotional booths will be set up within each market. Visitors who submit receipts showing purchases of 10,000 won or more at Smile Ambassador stores can receive a cute shopping bag.

K-Tourism Market Smile Ambassador Campaign Pledge Poster
Photo by Korea Tourism Organization

Kim Kwang-sik, head of the Regional Tourism Development Team at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, "This campaign is significant because it is achieved through the voluntary participation of merchants," adding, "We hope that through long-term campaign operations, traditional markets will become places loved even more by the public and tourists."

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