Inje-gun Cracks Down on Illegal Gift Certificate Distribution and Lowers Donation Barriers with 'Wello' Platform

Inje-gun Mobilizes for Local Economic Revitalization
Crackdown on Illegal Inje Sarang Gift Certificate Distribution for One Month Starting May 11
Introduction of Private Platform 'Wello' Expands Participation Channels for Hometown Love Donation Program

Inje-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, is launching comprehensive administrative efforts to stimulate local consumption, establish a sound distribution order, and attract external donations.

A view of the Inje County Office.

On May 10, Inje-gun announced that it will conduct a “2026 First Half Inje Sarang Gift Certificate Illegal Distribution Crackdown” for four weeks from May 11 to June 7. This campaign is being implemented to secure the credibility of the gift certificate system and to foster a transparent consumption environment.

The county has formed a joint inspection team consisting of seven members, including personnel from the Economic and Industrial Division, NH Nonghyup Bank Inje Branch, and the gift certificate operating agency. Currently, there are 1,559 paper-type and 2,609 card-type affiliated stores in Inje-gun.

The main targets of the crackdown include: ▲ Receiving or exchanging gift certificates without selling goods or providing services (so-called 'gift certificate laundering') ▲ Exchanging certificates for amounts exceeding actual sales ▲ Operating affiliated stores in restricted business sectors ▲ Refusing gift certificate payments or discriminating against customers paying with cash.

The county plans to thoroughly analyze suspicious transactions such as high-value or repeated payments in advance through the gift certificate management system, followed by on-site inspections. If violations are detected, it will take strict measures such as canceling store registration and imposing fines.

Return gifts for the Inje County Hometown Love Donation Program. Provided by Inje County

Inje-gun Lowers Barriers to Hometown Love Donations with 'Wello' Platform

At the same time, Inje-gun will fully introduce the private platform 'Wello' to invigorate the Hometown Love Donation Program, beginning official fundraising on May 11. By moving beyond traditional methods and collaborating with a private platform, the county seeks to lower the threshold for donations and encourage participation from a broader audience.

Through 'Wello', Inje-gun will offer 15 types of return gifts from a total of 12 local businesses. These include Inje Sarang Gift Certificates, dried pollack strips, premium Korean beef sets, omija syrup, and Inje Shinnam goods sets, all reflecting local specialties and giving donors a wider range of choices.

The county also plans to utilize the Wello platform to promote the Hometown Love Donation Program through events linked to local specialty products and donation promotion content, with the aim of continuously expanding participation.

Anna Kim, CEO of Wello, stated, "We hope this agreement will help revitalize Inje-gun's Hometown Love Donation Program, and we will work to connect platform users wishing to donate to Inje-gun, promoting the county's unique attractions widely."

A representative of Inje-gun commented, "By ensuring the sound distribution of the Inje Sarang Gift Certificate, we are protecting the real local economy. At the same time, the introduction of a private platform will open new pathways for the Hometown Love Donation Program. We will actively promote the initiative so that more people nationwide become interested in Inje-gun and participate in donations."

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