By Lee Jon-young

President Yoon Suk-yeol visited Noryangjin Fish Market in Seoul on the morning of August 31 to check the safety of Korean fisheries products and encourage merchants and other officials by directly purchasing Korean fisheries products such as rockfish, blue crabs and gizzard shad. 

It is the first time in 96 years that the incumbent president has visited the Noryangjin Fisheries Market in Seoul since the opening of the Gyeongseong Fisheries Market in 1927.

With Cha Deok-ho, chairman of the Noryangjin Fish Market merchants’ association, the president toured the live fish and shellfish market on the first floor, including blue crabs, prawns, eels, squid, croaker, and sea squirts, and talked with market merchants.

One merchant took a QR code on his mobile phone and explained, "Our seafood is safe and transparent," while one thanked the president for visiting in person when the economy was in trouble and said, "It's very difficult these days, but it's better because the president and the government paid a lot of attention."

When the president said, "I hope that my visit to Noryangjin Fisheries Market will help market merchants gain a little strength." Merchants around him responded with loud applause. In addition, the president asked kindergarten children on a field trip what kind of fish they had seen and whether they had touched a blue crab.

The president then visited the "Traditional Market Onnuri Gift Certificate Refund Event Hall," which began on Aug. 31, and received a refund of Onnuri Gift Certificates with receipts purchased directly.

The Onnuri Gift Certificate event will be held daily from Aug. 31 to the end of the year to promote seafood consumption as a gift certificate for 30% of the purchase price (to be expanded to 40% later).

The merchant chairman thanked the president for the use of Onnuri gift certificates in the fish market and said, "It is very encouraging for merchants here because what the previous government could not do has been resolved."

The president visited a restaurant on the second floor of Noryangjin Fish Market with Chief of Staff Kim Dae-ki and Chief of Security Cho Tae-yong and had a luncheon with Korean seafood menus such as rockfish soup, grilled gizzard shad, and steamed blue crabs. 

The president emptied a bowl of rockfish soup and even added soup. After the luncheon, the president shook hands with the restaurant staff and took pictures, saying, "Good luck with your business."

Before leaving the market, the president shook hands with citizens who came out to buy seafood and took pictures together. Citizens greeted and responded by saying, "President, fighting." He also greeted Park Se-hyung, CEO of Noryangjin Water Market, and executives who came after hearing the news of his visit.

Meanwhile, a banner was hung inside the Noryangjin Fisheries Market saying that the refund event of Onnuri gift certificates for fisheries products in traditional markets would continue until the end of the year. 

This is part of measures to stabilize people's livelihoods following the president's order in July to "carry out refunds at all times in traditional markets by the end of the year" to boost marine product consumption.