DAEJEON — Residents of Daejeon will be able to receive cashback of up to 15% on purchases made with the city's local currency, Ontong Daejeon, in October and November.
The city said on the 29th that it will provide a base cashback rate of 10%, with an additional 3% for welfare recipients, shoppers at traditional markets, shopping districts and alley-type shopping districts, and customers of merchants run by young small business owners.
Welfare recipients can receive a total of 13% in cashback, with 3% added to the base 10%. Eligible groups include recipients of basic livelihood benefits, the near-poor bracket, disability pension recipients, legally recognized single-parent families and people honored for national service. About 9,000 people already registered will receive the benefit without filing a separate application. New applicants can apply through the Ontong Daejeon app or website, or at the community service center in their district of residence.
Payments at Ontong Daejeon member stores located in traditional markets, shopping districts and alley-type shopping districts also qualify for an additional 3%, bringing the total to 13%. Based on data submitted by the city's district governments, Daejeon has confirmed 7,077 locations as eligible, and stores left off the list may file additional applications.
An extra 3% in cashback also applies at member stores run by young small business owners. The additional rate is granted when Ontong Daejeon is used at member stores whose owner is between 19 and 39 years old as of the application date and which opened within the past year. The extra cashback applies for one year from the date of registration.
At businesses designated as fair-price establishments, an additional 5% brings the total cashback to 15%.
The additional cashback cannot be combined, however. Even if a purchase qualifies under multiple categories, only one additional rate — either 3% or 5% — is applied per transaction, depending on the criteria for each payment.
"Starting in October, we are keeping the base benefit while adding extra benefits for welfare recipients and local commercial districts," said Kwon Oh-bong, head of the city's Ontong Daejeon 2.0 task force.
