Seoul: The government announced plans to distribute a record 172,000 tons of key food items and enhance discount programs valued at 90 billion won (US$64.5 million) to stabilize living costs and encourage household spending in preparation for the Chuseok holiday next month.

According to Yonhap News Agency, these strategies were finalized during a ministerial meeting led by Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol. The announcement comes amid concerns over increasing prices of essential holiday goods, even though overall inflation remains within the Bank of Korea’s 2 percent goal.

The government’s initiative includes releasing 1.6 times the usual quantity of major food items before the holiday and offering discounts of up to 50 percent on popular Chuseok gift sets, which feature items like fruits and the premium Korean beef “hanwoo.” Additionally, approximately 2,700 direct-to-consumer markets will be set up nationwide to improve access to affordable products.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance emphasized in a press release that although consumer sentiment is showing signs of improvement, it is vital to extend this positive trend to regional areas and support small businesses.