Changwon Special City: "No Price Gouging at Jinhae Gunhangje Festival"

Three-Strike Policy Introduced and Reporting Center Operated
Measures Implemented to Prevent Booth Transfers

During the nationwide cherry blossom festival, the Jinhae Gunhangje, there are expected to be no cases of price gouging, allowing tourists to feel at ease.

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam is making every effort to eradicate the recurring issue of price gouging during events. The festival’s organizing committee has announced strict measures, such as implementing a three-strike system for booths authorized by the committee. If any booth is found to be overcharging for food, they will be subject to this system.

Changwon Special City Hall, Gyeongnam.

As more than three million people are expected to visit the nation’s largest spring festival, the city has established the “Jinhae Gunhangje Price Stabilization Management Plan” to focus on eliminating price gouging. This includes operating a joint public-private price gouging inspection task force and a price gouging reporting center.

First, in cooperation with public officials, the local merchants’ association, the small business association, and price monitoring personnel, a joint public-private price gouging inspection task force consisting of six people per day will be operated throughout the festival. They will focus on guiding and inspecting whether product weights and prices are properly displayed and whether excessive prices are being charged.

Booths are required to display banners showing both the weight and price of their menu items. If they use dishonest payment systems, such as encouraging cash payments or refusing credit cards, they may be immediately expelled. Furthermore, the three-strike system will be enforced: first offense results in a warning, second offense leads to a sales ban on the item, and third offense results in expulsion.

In particular, the Yi Chungmugong Gunhangje Committee, which organizes the festival, has identified the practice of “transfer (resale)”?where a booth is transferred to another vendor for a premium after being allocated?as a primary cause of price gouging. To prevent this, a transfer prevention deposit will be collected at the time of booth application, and if a violation is found, the deposit will be forfeited and a reward will be given to the first reporter. Additionally, a price gouging reporting center will be set up at the festival site to promptly address any complaints from tourists.

Jang Geumyong, the First Deputy Mayor, stated, “We will mobilize all administrative resources to ensure that price gouging is completely eradicated at this year’s Gunhangje.”

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