The Ministry of SMEs and Startups will conduct a digital Onnuri gift certificate refund event targeting 49 traditional markets and vulnerable areas in special disaster zones from the 24th until the end of the year for about four months.
According to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups on the 22nd, this refund event is being implemented in accordance with the 'Revitalization of Local Areas and Promotion of Coexistence Consumption Measures' announced at last month's Economic Ministers' Council. The period for the refund event in special disaster zones will be operated from August to December, with the refund rate increased from 10% to 20%.
This event will take place in 49 locations designated as special disaster zones, including Andong, Uiseong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, Yeongdeok, and Cheongdo in Gyeongbuk, as well as Naju, Hampyeong, and Daap-myeon in Gwangyang.
The refund event for special disaster zones will be operated weekly from Sunday to Saturday as a single round refund method. Consumers who pay with digital Onnuri gift certificates (mobile or card type) will receive a refund of up to 20% of the cumulative payment amount for each round in the same digital gift certificate.
Refunds will be made sequentially through the 'gift giving' function about ten days after the end of each round. Recipients must accept the gift from the gift box within 30 days from the date of issuance. If the gift registration period ends, the refund amount will disappear. If the balance exceeds 2 million won, it can be received after using the refund amount.
Rounds 1 to 5 will be conducted in conjunction with the nationwide refund events currently in operation. For special disaster zones, an additional 10% will be applied to the existing refund rate of 10%, making the total refund 20%. The maximum refund per event will be 20,000 won, with a total maximum refund of 40,000 won.
The minimum payment amount for refunds is 10,000 won for events 1 to 5, and from the 6th round, it will be a minimum of 5,000 won, with refunds applied in increments of 1,000 won. The refund event for special disaster zones is planned until December, but may end early if the budget is exhausted.
Lee Dae-geon, Director of Small Business Policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, 'This refund event for special disaster zones is a policy aimed at supporting the stabilization of living conditions in affected areas and the recovery of sales in traditional markets and shopping districts.' He added, 'I hope this refund event will help the economic recovery of regions struggling due to the disaster.'