KOREAN NET

By Margareth Theresia

Photos = Lee Jun Young

Video = Park Dae Jin

"I hope foreign visitors to Korea relish the abundant discounts and appeal of the country's diverse culture."

This year's Korea Grand Sale, the nation's leading shopping festival, on Jan. 15 kicked off with Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Jang Miran attending the opening ceremony at On Dream Society, a social impact platform, in Seoul's Jung-gu District. She later greeted foreign tourists at the welcoming center.

To run through Feb. 28, the event has private participating businesses in aviation, accommodations, shopping and interactive programs in a bid to attract more foreign tourists to the nation and spending. This year's edition will have around 1,680 participating companies, the most in the festival's history, offering extensive discounts and benefits.

Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Jang Miran on Jan. 15 gives a welcoming speech at the opening ceremony for this year's Korea Grand Sale at On Dream Society in Seoul's Jung-gu District.

First, about 10 domestic airlines offer up to 94% off on fares on 214 routes to Korea. In cooperation with online travel agencies, discounts of up to 31% are available on flights by foreign air carriers to Korea from China, Hong Kong and Japan.

Lodging facilities are offering package deals like 19% off and free use of spas.

Shopping events will be held at large department stores, duty-free shops, discount outlets and hypermarkets. Visitors can receive gift certificates of up to KRW 1 million depending on purchase amount at major branches nationwide.

To raise convenience for foreign visitors, cooperation has been boosted with service platforms for transportation, food and drink, and payment as well as information app companies. Users of the taxi hailing app K-Ride can receive a discount of KRW 3,000.

The app Catch Table Global allows users to make reservations at about 400 restaurants nationwide and get discounts. The prepaid card Wow Pass offers up to 5% cashback on various brands, and Naver Map helps tourists get around in several languages.

And programs will immerse foreign tourists in the nation's culture like tours to famous sites and soju (clear liquor) plants in Gangwon-do Province; the Hwacheon Sancheoneo (Mountain Trout) Ice Festival; Taekwondowon, the world's only complex for taekwondo; and skiing practice in Gangwon-do.

More information on the sale's discounts and benefits is available on the event's official website: (https://en.koreagrandsale.co.kr).

Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Jang Miran on Jan. 15 takes a group photo with leading officials at the opening ceremony of this year's Korea Grand Sale at On Dream Society in Seoul's Jung-gu District.

margareth@korea.kr