Spend 30,000 won, win up to W30m in new consumer lottery

Consumers who spend at least 30,000 won ($22) using digital Onnuri gift vouchers at traditional markets and small-business stores will be eligible to win up to 30 million won in a new consumer lottery. Purchases made outside Greater Seoul will earn twice as many entry tickets as those made within the metropolitan area.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced Wednesday that it will run the Shared-Growth Consumer Lottery for all citizens from Thursday through Nov. 15.

The event is designed to boost consumer spending and invigorate regional economies in conjunction with the Korea Grand Festival, which opens Oct. 29.

Under the program, participants receive one entry ticket for every 30,000 won spent cumulatively at offline Onnuri voucher-affiliated stores using digital Onnuri gift vouchers. Purchases in Greater Seoul earn one ticket per 30,000 won, while purchases outside the metropolitan area earn two tickets for the same amount.

Each participant may receive up to 30 tickets in total — a maximum of 10 from spending in Greater Seoul and up to 20 from spending outside the metropolitan area. Eligibility is based on where the purchase is made, not where the buyer lives.

Consumers wishing to participate can open the digital Onnuri app from 9 a.m. Thursday and consent to sharing their personal information for the event. Entry tickets will then be issued automatically based on spending during the event period. Regardless of when a participant joins, all purchases from Thursday through Nov. 15 will count toward ticket issuance.

The total prize pool of 1.7 billion won will be distributed to 5,600 winners in the form of digital Onnuri gift vouchers. Ten first-prize winners will each receive 30 million won, 40 second-prize winners will receive 2 million won each, 850 third-prize winners will receive 1 million won each, and 4,700 fourth-prize winners will receive 100,000 won each.

First-prize winners will be drawn exclusively from participants who hold entry tickets earned through purchases outside Greater Seoul. Even metropolitan-area residents can qualify for the first prize if they spend at least 30,000 won at a traditional market or small-business store outside the region. Second through fourth prizes will be drawn without regional distinction, and duplicate wins are not permitted.

This year's lottery differs from last year's in that it is based on digital Onnuri voucher spending rather than credit card transactions. Last year, entry tickets were issued through the Shared-Growth Payback website based on credit card purchases; this year, only spending at offline Onnuri-affiliated stores counts. The change is intended to channel consumer spending toward traditional markets and neighborhood commercial districts.

Winners will be notified individually through the digital Onnuri app in early December, and prizes will be paid out during the same month.

Meanwhile, the Korea Grand Festival runs for 18 days from Oct. 29 through Nov. 15. Ten government ministries — including the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism — are participating, with about 40,000 companies across the manufacturing, retail and service sectors, as well as small-business owners, holding discount events and consumer promotions.

During the festival, the discount rate on digital Onnuri gift vouchers will be temporarily raised from 7 percent to 10 percent. Additional spending-stimulus programs will also run, including discount events on agricultural, livestock and fishery products and the distribution of regional tourism accommodation coupons.