Hyundai Motor expands traditional market shopping campaign to four times a year

Hyundai Motor's management and union have expanded their "traditional market shopping" campaign from once a year — held around the chuseok holiday — to four times annually, stepping up efforts to revitalize struggling local commercial districts.

On Tuesday, the two sides visited Yeompo Market in Buk-gu, Ulsan, and donated 10 million won ($7,510) in corporate social responsibility funds to the Ulsan Volunteer Center and the Ulsan branch of the Community Chest of Korea. The funds will be split evenly — 5 million won each — between supporting cultural events at Yeompo Market to encourage visits and providing assistance to vulnerable residents.

Management representatives, union officials and local government officials took part in the event, using traditional market gift vouchers to purchase sesame oil, rice cakes, fruit and other goods while cheering on vendors.

The event was held in support of the "Ulsan Mutual Growth Market Project," a cooperative initiative of the Ulsan Regional Co-prosperity Council launched in July, and marked the second outing under the program following a visit to Hogye Market in Buk-gu, Ulsan, during the chuseok holiday. The project pairs individual businesses with a local traditional market under a one-company, one-market model.

"We have decided to make the traditional market shopping event a regular fixture tied to the Ulsan Mutual Growth Market Project, so that we can bring warmth to local commerce not just during holidays but in the off-season as well," a Hyundai Motor official said. "We will consistently carry on this virtuous cycle of mutual growth — providing traditional markets with a stable consumer base while supplying essential goods to those in need."