Jeju to Select New Operator for Public Delivery App With 78.7 Billion Won in Cumulative Transactions

【Financial News, Jeju = Reporter Jeong Yong-bok】 A commission rate of up to 2% will be allowed in the bid for the next operator of Jeju's public delivery app, which currently charges a 1.5% commission. Although an increase has not been confirmed, costs for small businesses could vary depending on the rate proposed by the new operator of the public delivery app, whose cumulative transaction value has reached 78.7 billion won.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Economic and Trade Promotion Agency on the 18th, proposals from private operators seeking to run Jeju's public delivery app for three years, from 2027 to 2029, will be accepted from the 19th until 6 p.m. on the 22nd.
The bid aims to reduce the burden of commissions and advertising fees charged by private delivery platforms and boost spending through the local currency, Tamna Jeon. A public delivery app is not a system in which a local government directly provides every delivery service; rather, it works with private platforms to offer lower fees and benefits for local spending.
The new operator must charge a commission of no more than 2% per order. It must also impose no additional charges on merchants, such as advertising or signup fees. The requirements also include a Tamna Jeon payment function and an on-the-ground support organization in Jeju.
Meokkkaebi's current commission is 1.5%. The 2% cap in the new bid is 0.5 percentage points higher than the current rate, but an actual increase has not been decided. The rate proposed by the operator and the final agreement need to be reviewed. Costs such as delivery fees, which are separate from commissions, should also be considered separately.

Major private delivery platforms apply different commission rates depending on sales volume. The commission under the mutually beneficial fee plan introduced by Baemin and Coupang Eats ranges from 2.0% to 7.8%. Jeju's public delivery app differs in that it requires a commission of no more than 2% for every affiliated merchant.
Jeju's public delivery app has expanded its user base since Meokkkaebi was introduced in December 2022. According to Jeju Province, as of the end of September this year, cumulative orders totaled 2,995,875 and order transaction value reached 78,746,410,000 won. There were 6,348 affiliated merchants and 88,763 members.
Last year, orders totaled 1,467,632, about 6.7 times the 219,063 recorded in 2024. Order transaction value also rose over the same period, from about 5.4 billion won to 38.8 billion won.
From January to September this year, the app recorded 1,117,978 orders and transaction value of about 29.8 billion won. The monthly average was 124,220 orders, up 1.6% from last year's monthly average of 122,303. After surging last year, order volume rose only modestly this year on a monthly average basis.
The link with Tamna Jeon is another key feature. From the service's launch through September this year, payments made using Tamna Jeon totaled about 42.5 billion won, accounting for 54% of cumulative order transaction value. In other words, more than half of the spending through the public delivery app was paid for with the local currency.

However, it is difficult to conclude that the increase in orders was driven solely by the public delivery app's own competitiveness. Jeju Province has provided support such as delivery-fee discount coupons and benefits for paying with Tamna Jeon. A research study commissioned by the province last year to assess the app's operations and performance also pointed to the financial sustainability of the existing operator and the need to improve its revenue structure.
Accordingly, an important consideration in selecting the next operator is whether it can provide a stable service while maintaining low fees and consumer benefits.
Companies bidding must already be operating a public delivery app under agreements with at least two local governments and have secured at least 5,000 affiliated merchants nationwide. The requirements call for a certain level of operating experience and business infrastructure.
Proposals will be evaluated on the 29th. The operator will be selected from among companies scoring at least 70 points, based on their combined scores of 20 points for quantitative evaluation and 80 for qualitative evaluation, with the highest scorer taking precedence. The agreement will run from 2027 to 2029 and may be extended by up to two years depending on operating performance.
Kang Ae-suk, head of Jeju Province's Economic Vitality Bureau, said, “We hope companies that can provide a stable service while reducing small businesses' actual costs, including commissions and advertising fees, will take part,” adding, “Through operations closely rooted in the region, we will expand small businesses' online sales channels and make the service more convenient for residents.”


[email protected] Jeong Yong-bok Reporter