The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization are stepping up efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of traditional markets as K-content. On the 23rd, they will hold the 'Smile Campaign' to improve traditional market services and a ceremony to declare an eco-friendly future market at Jeju Dongmun Traditional Market.
According to the MCST on the 22nd, the event is part of the 'K-Tourism Market' project, which is being carried out to boost the tourism competitiveness of traditional markets. Under the program, the ministry and the KTO select traditional markets based on their potential to attract foreign visitors and their links to local tourism resources, while supporting tourism content development and marketing. Jeju Dongmun Traditional Market is one of the markets selected for the second round of the K-Tourism Market project.
The Smile Campaign aims to improve traditional market services, including fixed pricing, card payments, cleanliness and hygiene, and customer service. On the day of the event, 1,000 visitors who present receipts for purchases of at least 10,000 won will receive 4,000 won in traditional market vouchers. Twenty members of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Saemaul Association will also take part in on-site guidance and safety management. At the eco-friendly future market ceremony held the same day, Jeju Dongmun Traditional Market will become the first permanent night market in the country to introduce a reusable container circulation system. The system will operate in a closed loop, from ordering and on-site use to return, washing and reuse.
Market associations and local government officials from 11 second-round K-Tourism Market sites nationwide are expected to attend the event, where they will examine reusable container operations and discuss eco-friendly management measures that can be applied to local traditional markets.
Kang Dong-jin, director of tourism policy at the MCST, said, "We plan to actively support merchants by strengthening their capabilities and promoting eco-friendly management so that traditional markets, including Jeju Dongmun Traditional Market, can grow into tourism landmarks that represent their regions."
Kim Se-hyung, Sportschosun fax123@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
