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Gov't urges recipients to spend any remaining consumer coupons

Published: 25 Nov. 2025, 14:00 Updated: 25 Nov. 2025, 16:40

A sign showing that consumer coupons are accepted is seen at a shop in Seoul on Nov. 3. [YONHAP]

A large amount of government-issued consumer coupons remains unused ahead of the Nov. 30 expiration date, prompting the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to urge recipients to spend the funds before they are returned to state and local governments.

Card companies also sent text messages and app notifications as reminders.

The government released two rounds of consumer coupons to support small merchants and neighborhood businesses, distributing 9.1 trillion won ($6.1 billion) in coupons via credit and debit cards. Opposition lawmakers criticized the program as populist spending, but government officials said it would help boost consumption.

Recipients used 8.8 trillion won by midnight on Nov. 16, which amounts to 97.5 percent of the total.

People can use any remaining balance in a single payment at eligible locations. Coupons issued through prepaid cards and local currency programs share the same deadline.

The Korea Development Institute, a state-run think tank, wrote in its November economic trends report released earlier this month that “the economy shows slight improvement led by consumption despite weaker construction investment and slower export growth.”

This marked the first time in 17 months that the KDI used the phrase “slight improvement.” Analysts attributed the consumer coupon program to this uptick in spending.

Output in the accommodation and food service industries rose 3.2 percent in September, which helped strengthen consumer sentiment.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM CHUL-WOONG [[email protected]]