JEONJU, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
COVID-19 Reaction Policy of Jeonju: Three
Good Campaigns and Layoff-Free City Project
For its 650,000+
residents, the economy of the South Korean city of Jeonju was placed into a
state of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. With
increasing number of confirmed cases and tightened preventive measures,
consumer confidence was on a continuous slide. As a result, companies –
especially small businesses – faced hardships, and unemployment surged. In
response, Jeonju rolled out its COVID-19 Reaction Policy, with several key
projects such as the Three Good Campaigns (Good Leaser Campaign, Good
Sanitation Campaign, and Good Consumption Campaign) and Layoff-Free City
Project. The Good Sanitation Campaign is in essence
an information campaign. The city launched a sterilization week (Feb. 2020) and
the ‘All-out Sterilization Day with All Citizens’ (every Wed. since Mar. 2020),
to raise resident’s aware of the virus and its prevention. Information about
the sterilisation was distributed and posted onto the government’s website and
social media, encouraging the residents to take on the habit of sterilisation. The Good Leaser Campaign started in the
Hanok Village, a famous tourist attraction in the city. The municipal
government encourages store owners to reduce the rent by 10% in order to help
tenants stay in business. For building owners that choose to participate, the
city will reduce the property taxes on the rented areas of the building by nearly 50%. Since its initial launch in the village,
the campaign has welcomed the participation of about 30,000 stores across the
city and has been replicated nation-wide. The Good Consumption Campaign promotes
consumption to support small businesses and the self-employed.
It included efforts to encourage buying from floriculture farmers and flower
shops as well as dining at nearby restaurants
and restaurants previously visited by confirmed patients. The city has also
reduced parking fees in public and affiliated parking lots and organised the
Jeonju Sale Fiesta with small businesses, distributors, and traditional markets to increase sales. The Layoff-Free City Project aims at
securing jobs. For companies that promise no layoffs and whose workers agree to
adjust working hours and wages, the city will provide a variety of benefits and
support. This includes management funds, employment stability funds, and
reduced fixed costs such as taxes. By October 2020, the project enrolled more
than 1,000 companies. The policy and its projects have been
welcomed by the residents of Jeonju. It contributes to containing the virus in
the city and achieving SDGs 3 (health and wellbeing), 8 (decent work and
economic growth), 10 (reduced inequalities), and 11 (sustainable cities and
communities).