Busan Metropolitan City Government Temporarily Raises Dongbaekjeon Cashback to Up to 15% in September

[Financial News] Busan Metropolitan City Government announced on the 20th that it would fully implement Dongbaekjeon livelihood support measures as part of the 100-Day Emergency Measures for People’s Livelihoods.
The main initiatives fall into two categories. The first includes measures to stimulate consumption among citizens, such as a temporary increase in Dongbaekjeon cashback, a Chuseok Dongbaekjeon consumption-boosting event, and the issuance of Dongbaekjeon QR payment-only coupons. The second consists of support programs for small businesses, including a Dongbaekjeon QR merchant enrollment event and Dongbaekjeon card payment fee support.
The city will temporarily raise Dongbaekjeon cashback to up to 15% through the end of September. The basic cashback rate for Dongbaekjeon merchants with annual sales of KRW 1 billion or less will increase by 5 percentage points, from 10% to 15%. For merchants with annual sales exceeding KRW 1 billion but not more than KRW 3 billion, the rate will rise from 8% to 13%.
To mark the Chuseok holiday, the city will hold a Dongbaekjeon consumption-boosting event and issue dedicated coupons to encourage QR payments. The event will run from the 21st to the 28th and target members who make cumulative Dongbaekjeon payments of at least KRW 100,000. Through a raffle, 22,000 winners will receive QR payment-only coupons worth KRW 5,000.
Separately, beginning next month and continuing through November, the city will issue QR payment-only coupons worth KRW 3,000 to 15,000 Dongbaekjeon members each month on a first-come, first-served basis. Each member may download one coupon per month through the Dongbaekjeon app. The coupon can be used for payments of at least KRW 10,000 at Dongbaekjeon QR merchants. If unused coupons remain, additional coupons will be issued in December within the remaining budget.
The city will also implement support programs to expand QR payment use among citizens, increase small businesses’ participation in QR payments, and reduce their payment costs. The Dongbaekjeon QR merchant enrollment event is open to merchants that newly register as QR merchants during the event period and record Dongbaekjeon QR payment transactions by December 20.
Among eligible merchants, 6,500 will be selected through a raffle to receive KRW 30,000 in Dongbaekjeon policy support funds. The program is intended to encourage both the expansion of new QR merchants and actual payment use. The Dongbaekjeon card payment fee support program is available to Dongbaekjeon merchants with annual sales of KRW 1 billion or less. Based on Dongbaekjeon card payment performance from next month through November, the city will calculate six months’ worth of payments and provide support equivalent to 0.15% within the available budget.

[email protected] Baek Chang-hoon Reporter