Supermarkets in central Seoul to change mandatory closure day to Wednesday

The mandatory closing day for large supermarkets in a major tourist district in Seoul will be changed from weekends to weekdays, the industry ministry said Friday, adding to the convenience of its residents and foreign tourists alike.

Starting later this month, large supermarkets in Seoul's central district of Jung will close their business on Wednesdays instead of Sundays.

The latest decision is expected to add convenience not only for the residents but also the high number of foreign tourists in the area that houses many famous tourist attractions, including Myeongdong Cathedral, Deoksu Palace and Seoul Plaza.

Also adjacent to the district is the Jongno district, which features Gyeongbok Palace and Cheong Wa Dae, the former presidential office. The Jung district, meanwhile, has two supermarkets and two semi-large retail stores.

South Korea's distribution industry act, adopted in 2012, previously made it mandatory for major supermarket operators, including E-Mart, Lotte Mart and Homeplus, to close their stores on the second and fourth Sundays of every month to support small businesses.

The latest change follows government measures, announced in January, to ease regulations related to people's livelihoods, which included allowing retailers to designate their closure days on weekdays.

Other areas that previously changed the closure day to weekdays include Seoul's southern Seocho district and eastern Dongdaemun district.

Major cities, including Busan, Daegu and Cheongju, have also changed the day to weekdays.

"The government will continue its policy support so that the transition can be implemented in other districts," the ministry said. (Yonhap)