The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 3rd that the Cabinet meeting passed a revision to the enforcement ordinance of the Traditional Markets Act that significantly eases restrictions on the types of businesses that can use Onnuri Gift Certificates to revitalize commercial districts such as traditional markets and shopping districts.

Previously, only stores in traditional markets and shopping districts that engaged in wholesale, retail, and service businesses could register as Onnuri Gift Certificate merchants, but with this revision, all businesses except for 28 restricted businesses can now register as merchants.

Of the 40 types of businesses with franchise restrictions, 12 have been lifted, which means small business owners who operate small-scale manufacturing businesses such as mills, clothing manufacturers such as hanbok, accessory manufacturers such as jewelry, and printing shops can now register as Onnuri Gift Certificate franchisees.

Although located in traditional markets and shopping districts, Onnuri gift certificates can also be used at sports and recreation academies such as taekwondo, yoga, and pilates, musical instrument academies such as piano, art academies, dance academies, acting academies, clinics, oriental medicine clinics, dental clinics, animal hospitals, karaoke rooms, law firms, and tax offices that were previously restricted from participating in the program.

On the 28th of last month, a revision to the Small Business Act that allows century-old small business owners to register as Onnuri gift certificate merchants was passed in the plenary session of the National Assembly and is scheduled to be submitted to the State Council in the future, so it is expected that Onnuri gift certificates will be accepted at century-old small business owners’ stores nationwide.

From the previous day until the 30th, the discount rate for card-type and mobile Onnuri gift certificates has been increased from 10% to 15% for the month of September.

The monthly individual purchase limit is 2 million won, and the special discount sales volume of digital Onnuri gift certificates is 250 billion won.

(Photo = Yonhap News)

Reporter Lee Young-ho hoya@wowtv.co.kr