Osan City Opens Direct Purchase Market for Sister City Agricultural Products

[Suwon Ilbo=Lee Su-won Reporter] Ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, Osan City will operate a direct purchase market for agricultural and specialty products in partnership with sister cities at the City Hall plaza for three days from the 1st to the 3rd of next month.

This direct purchase market will feature products recommended by companies from Sokcho City, Suncheon City, Yeongdong County, and Jindo County, which have sister city relationships with Osan City, showcasing items with guaranteed product quality.

The direct purchase market, which will feature approximately 16 companies including local businesses, will sell various agricultural and specialty products produced in each region.

Specifically, from sister cities: grapes, dried persimmons, and fruit jam from Yeongdong County; salted seafood, pollack snacks, and dried seafood from Sokcho City; abalone, shrimp sauce, seaweed, turmeric, and semi-dried fish from Jindo County; glasswort, black goat extract, traditional sauces, plum pickle, and flower tea from Suncheon City will be sold. Osan City businesses will also sell Sema rice and traditional liquor.

The city has operated the direct purchase market twice annually since 2001, receiving positive responses from citizens, but operations were suspended due to COVID-19 and resumed from the Chuseok holiday last year.

Osan Mayor Lee Gwon-jae said, "This agricultural and specialty product direct purchase market will maintain cooperative relationships through exchanges with sister cities and will serve as an opportunity for friendly development," adding, "We ask for the keen interest of citizens as this marketplace allows them to purchase high-quality agricultural and specialty products at affordable prices for the Lunar New Year."