CHANGWON — Changwon, a city in South Gyeongsang Province, will issue an additional 30 billion won ($21.6 million) in Nubijeon paper gift certificates ahead of the Chuseok holiday. The certificates will be sold at a 10% discount, with vulnerable households given first access on the 18th and general sales opening to all residents from the 21st.
Priority sales for vulnerable households run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the 18th. Eligible buyers include recipients of basic livelihood benefits, households registered under the single-parent family law, and those eligible for near-poverty status certificates. Buyers must visit a participating outlet with a photo ID and one supporting document — a benefits recipient certificate, a single-parent family certificate or a near-poverty status certificate. Participating outlets include Kyongnam Bank, Nonghyup, Shinhyup and Community Credit Cooperatives.
General sales begin at 9 a.m. on the 21st. Anyone aged 14 or older can buy the certificates at participating outlets with a photo ID. Sales will continue until the allotted supply runs out.
The 10% discount also applies to individual purchases in this second round of sales. The monthly purchase limit, however, combines the amounts bought in the first and second rounds. Residents who already bought the full monthly limit of 500,000 won in the first round cannot buy more in September. The monthly limit resets on Oct. 1.
"We want to guarantee that vulnerable households have the first opportunity to buy them," Changwon Mayor Kang Ki-yun said. "We hope this additional issuance of Nubijeon will ease residents' burden of holiday shopping while also helping boost sales for local small business owners and revitalize the regional economy."
