An anti-graft bill known as the (김영란) Kim Yeong-ran Act will soon come into force. Local merchants say it is having a noticeable effect on their Chuseok sales: demand for meat and fruit gift products has plummeted. Mike Balfour reports.
Report [slug] Dongmun Traditional Market in Jeju City
At the (동문) Dongmun Traditional Market in Jeju City the Chuseok holiday is just around the corner.
When the Chuseok holiday nears, merchants at the market are usually busy packing, wrapping and delivering gift products.
But not this year. The market is dull and quiet.
[slug] Demand for gift products drops
As the anti-graft bill, also known as the (김영란) Kim Yeong-ran Act, is scheduled to take effect at the end of this month, the volume of orders at the market has significantly dropped.
The law bans public workers from being treated to a meal that costs more than 30,000 won, receiving gifts priced over 50,000 won and receiving congratulatory and condolence money over 100,000 won for weddings and funerals.
Under these conditions, a black pork gift set priced between 150,000 and 200,000 won is unsalable.
INTERVIEW Lee Cheol-gi / Merchant It’s not like it usually is...no orders for gift items. Sales have dropped 30 to 40 percent compared to last year. <인터뷰 : 이철기/상인> "추석 같지 않아요. 선물 주문이 전혀 안 들어와요. 작년보다 30~40% 줄어들었어요."
It’s the same story with fisheries products.
The fish harvest has dropped this year and prices have soared. The anti-graft law has aggravated the situation.
The volume of orders this year is far lower than that of last year.
INTERVIEW Choi Gyeong-mi / Merchant Gift items don’t sell. Maybe people are looking for inexpensive alternatives? The season right before Chuseok should be the busiest time of the year. <인터뷰 : 최경미/상인> "요즘 선물용이 안 나가고 있어요. 가격이 비싸니까 다른 선물로 하는 것 같아요. 이쯤이면 선물세트가 많이 나가야 하는데 안 나가고 있어요."
A box of (황금향) Hwanggeumhwang and mandarins doesn’t exceed the 50,000 won limit but the order volume is still very low.
Due to the summer heat wave, the mandarin business was in trouble. Merchants counted on the Chuseok holidays, but the market is quiet.
INTERVIEW Kim Yong-ja / Merchant I just sit around at my shop. I’ve expected a Chuseok rush, but there isn’t one because of the new law. It’s really tough. <인터뷰 : 김용자/상인> "불경기라 앉았다가 그냥 가는 경우가 많았어요. 명절이라서 기대했는데 김영란법 때문에 좌절이에요. 진짜 힘들어요."
[reporter] Mike Balfour
[camera] Park Byeong-joon
The Chuseok holidays are nearing, but local farmers and merchants are not happy.
