“A supermarket owner in Bucheon received an envelope and a note from a regular young customer. The envelope contained 200,000 KRW in cash. [Provided by Bucheon City]”
“[Herald Economy’s Na Eun-jung] ‘I’m able to live because of you. Thank you.'”
“A heartwarming story has emerged from Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, where a young man, who had once received help from a supermarket owner during his unemployment and financial difficulties, later returned to repay this kindness.”
“According to Bucheon City on the 24th, a supermarket operator, Mr. A, received an envelope from a customer in his twenties last year. The young man had left the envelope on the counter, which contained a neatly written note saying, ‘It’s not much, but I hope it can contribute to your dining out,’ along with 200,000 KRW in cash.”
“When the surprised Mr. A retraced his memories, he remembered that this customer was the young man who had asked a few months earlier if he could get instant noodles on credit due to financial hardship caused by unemployment.”
“Feeling sympathy for the young man’s situation, Mr. A offered not only the noodles but also included instant rice and curry and provided daily necessities worth 50,000 KRW. The young man, who succeeded in finding a job, returned to the store months later to express his gratitude.”
“Although Mr. A later returned the cash to the young man, the encounter left a lasting impression.”
“The reason Mr. A could share warmth with the young man was largely due to Bucheon City’s ‘On (温) Store’ initiative.”
“The ‘On Store’ program is a system where local shop workers, such as those at supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, and side dish shops, identify neighbors in need and provide them with supplies. Bucheon City then reimburses the costs from a fund, conducts on-site investigations, and offers necessary welfare services.”
“This initiative, which launched in June 2023, aims to minimize welfare blind spots among vulnerable groups such as elderly with dementia, abused children, and isolated single-person households through citizen participation.”
“As of this day, 134 stores in Bucheon have participated in the ‘On Store’ initiative, providing emergency daily necessities worth about 92 million KRW to 1,512 neighbors in need, and linking over 200 public services, including visiting health and emergency welfare services.”
“Bucheon City plans to increase the number of ‘hub On Stores’ capable of providing immediate supplies, such as large supermarkets and convenience stores, from 10 last year to 37 this year.”