Sale Festa attracts a record number of companies this year

Over 1,800 companies, a record number, will offer discounts during the Korea Sale Festa this year, aiming to boost consumption ahead of Korea's return to normal.

Head of the Korea Sale Festa's organizing committee Kim Yeon-hwa, second from left in the front row, poses with Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Moon Sung-wook, third from left, at a press conference to promote the Korea Sale Festa on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Over 1,800 companies, a record number, will offer discounts during the Korea Sale Festa this year, aiming to boost consumption ahead of Korea’s return to normal.

The event is scheduled to run from Nov. 1 through 15.

A total of 1,832 businesses are signed up to participate in the event as of Oct. 26, up 21.6 percent, or 326 businesses, compared to last year’s list as of Oct. 26.

“We’re continuing to get requests from businesses wanting to participate,” said Kim Yeon-hwa, head of the Korea Sale Festa organizing committee.

Discount of up to 60 percent will offered by department stores, convenience stores, e-commerce websites, furniture stores, duty free stores and discount marts.

Baedal Minjok will be included on the roster for the first time for food delivery applications this year, doing live commerce shows — a retail method in which goods are sold via livestreams. Home meal replacement products and local specialty foods will be sold at discounted prices on the application.

A big goal of the event is to help regional markets and small businesses, and Naver will offer free deliveries for people who shop from goods from traditional markets on its website.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]