Major retailers in Daegu open on second Sunday

Social Affairs

Published: 13 Feb. 2023, 19:16

Major retailers in Daegu open on second Sunday

Customers shop at Emart in Daegu on Sunday. It was the first time in 11 years where major discount marts in Daegu was opened on the second Sunday. [NEWS1]

There was a long line in front of the cashier at a major retailer in Daegu on Sunday.

The food court was crowded, too.

Customers trying to park struggled to find empty spaces with major retailers like Emart and Lotte Mart opening on the second Sunday of the month.

“Every Sunday I had to check my phone to see whether the mart was open or not,” said customer Kim Ji-eun, a 40- year-old working mom.

“Now I don’t have to. Next week will be much easier as I’ve already shopped on the weekend and can prepare food for my children ahead of time.”

It was the first second Sunday of the month major retailers in the city were open since the government passed a law 11 years ago requiring them to close their doors every second and fourth Sunday.

The only exception had been when the interested parties agree to move the days to close the stores.

Daegu's major retailers have instead moved their day off to Mondays. There are currently 60 or so major retail stores in the city.

While smaller jurisdictions have implemented changes with the consent of local interested parties including shop owners, Daegu is the first major city to do so.

The 2012 law aimed to allow retail workers to enjoy weekends off, providing them a reprieve from the grueling work hours and conditions then common among giant retailers, which often operated past midnight.

It also aimed to help smaller shops, mostly mom-and-pop stores and traditional markets, that were losing businesses to major retailers.

However, the law sparked a backlash from consumers complaining of the inconvenience. Skeptics also asked whether the legislation was really helping traditional markets as grocery shoppers moved online.

President Yoon Suk Yeol during his presidential campaign promised to lift the mandatory Sunday closures, which was losing public support.

However, since taking office, the Yoon administration has been reluctant to completely lift the restriction, opting for a compromise that lifted the ban on major retailers selling groceries online on Sundays.

Korea Mart Labor Union holds a rally in front of Daegu's city hall on Monday in protests the changes on day offs. [NEWS1]

Daegu's change hasn't been welcomed by everyone, however.

Labor unions representing the employees at major retailers have filed an injunction against the Daegu city government on Friday and held a rally in front of Daegu’s city hall on Monday.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions-affiliated Korean Mart Labor Union claims that the changes in Daegu have stolen the workers’ rights to take a break on weekends, eventually affecting the workers’ health.

BY LEE HO-JEONG, BAEK KYUNG-SEO [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]