Chuseok in Jeju Sees Prices Rise 3.1%; Governor Wi Seong-gon Says "Residents First" at Traditional Market

[Financial News, Jeju—Reporter Jeong Yong-bok] With Jeju's consumer prices rising back into the 3% range ahead of Chuseok, Governor Wi Seong-gon visited a traditional market to check grocery prices and merchants' assessment of business conditions. In his Chuseok message, Wi also presented "Residents first, livelihoods first, safety first" as the provincial administration's top priority, saying he would create changes residents can feel in their household finances and everyday safety.
At noon on the 22nd, Governor Wi Seong-gon visited the Jeju City Traditional 5-day Market to check prices and sales of Chuseok essentials and listen to merchants and residents. Before touring the market, he met Park Geun-hyeong, chairman of the merchants' association, and its executives to discuss issues including improvements to market stalls, parking conditions, and efforts to encourage the use of traditional markets.
Jeju's grocery-shopping situation ahead of Chuseok is far from easy. Jeju's consumer prices rose 3.1% in August from a year earlier, climbing back into the 3% range from 2.9% in July. Prices for daily necessities also increased 3.1%. By item, mackerel prices jumped 23.8%, while rice prices rose 9.0%.
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is also expanding benefits for the regional currency Tamnaneunjeon to draw Chuseok and autumn consumer demand into neighborhood businesses. Since the 5th, it has raised the monthly spending limit eligible for a 10% point reward from 700,000 won to 1 million won. The expanded measure will remain in effect through the end of October.
Wi personally bought ritual offerings and other goods with Tamnaneunjeon. The purchased goods will be delivered to the Jeju Orphanage, a child welfare facility in the province. He also visited a promotional booth for Mukkebi, a public delivery app operating in the market, and a mobile on-site tax counseling center, where he encouraged the staff.
The merchants' association explained that gift certificates refunded during a recent event promoting purchases of agricultural and fishery products had helped sales by leading to further spending in the market. It also called for improvements to sections without market stalls and better parking convenience for visitors.
Wi checked the progress of the related projects and said he would review ways to improve them, taking into account fairness with other public parking lots and visitor convenience.

Alongside his visits to sites affecting people's livelihoods, Wi emphasized safety in his Chuseok message.
Wi said, "I offer my deep respect and gratitude to all Jeju residents who have quietly worked hard in their respective places despite this year's unusually prolonged heat wave and frequent extreme weather events," adding, "I will work tirelessly to make your household finances considerably better and bring greater vitality and prosperity to your daily lives."
He continued, "I will make 'Residents first, livelihoods first, safety first' my top priority and demonstrate our achievements through changes that you can feel in your daily lives."
He will also visit sites working to keep the Chuseok holiday safe. On the 23rd, Wi is scheduled to visit the 9th Marine Brigade (Republic of Korea), Jeju Fire Station, and Jeju Provincial Nursing Home for the Elderly. He will encourage military personnel, firefighters, and welfare-facility workers, and check on the elderly residents of the nursing home.
The Jeju provincial administration's tasks ahead of Chuseok are also clear. With rising consumer prices becoming a real burden on household shopping, the impact of livelihood policies will depend on how much regional-currency incentives and traditional-market promotion measures boost small-business sales and ease household burdens. Whether the everyday safety net covering transportation, firefighting, and welfare operates without gaps during the holiday is also expected to determine how strongly residents feel the effects of those policies.


[email protected] Jeong Yong-bok Reporter