From February 2023, Daegu City has changed the large discount store mandatory holiday from Sundays to Mondays twice a month for the first time in Korea. Since 2012, local governments have closed large discount stores on the second and fourth Sundays to protect traditional markets and small merchants. However, consumers at large discount stores complained that they were inconvenienced because they could not shop on weekends. Therefore, Daegu City changed the mandatory holiday of large discount stores to weekdays. Regarding the change of mandatory holidays, Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo said, “It will significantly help the shopping convenience of Daegu citizens.”
However, traditional market merchants and trade union officials protested the decision. They protested the Daegu municipal government and large store officials. Trade union officials argued that they were deprived of a weekend to rest with their families and that it was an unfair decision because they did not seek consent from the employees themselves.
Traditional market merchants also claimed that market sales rose on weekends when large discount stores were off, but sales were hit hard by the change of mart holidays to weekdays. Traditional market merchants expressed a negative opinion, saying that the market will be further depressed as the holiday of large discount stores, which have an advantage in marketing and geographical position, will be changed to weekdays.
However, some consumers disagreed with market merchant opinions. One consumer claimed he does not visit the traditional market even if large discount stores rest because parking is inconvenient and hygiene is poor. In addition, he said it is not reasonable to force large discount stores to take weekends off to revive the traditional market.
It is unfair to regulate large discount stores to close on weekends legally. Consumers have the right to shop wherever they want. Nevertheless, we also need to preserve traditional markets. Supporting traditional markets offers many benefits, including preserving local culture and providing opportunities for small business owners. Therefore, visiting traditional markets at least occasionally is necessary to maintain a society where marts and markets coexist.
저작권자 © 영남대학교 언론출판문화원 무단전재 및 재배포 금지
