Gyeonggi Province Implements Comprehensive Lunar New Year Holiday Measures

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gapdong] Gyeonggi Province is implementing a "comprehensive Lunar New Year holiday measures plan" to enable residents to spend a warm and comfortable holiday.

For inquiries and inconveniences occurring from the 14th to the 18th when the holidays begin, residents can call the Gyeonggi Province Call Center (031-120) which operates 24 hours. Information about open clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies during this period can be obtained from the emergency medical response center (031-8008-4745).

The 2026 Lunar New Year holiday comprehensive measures consist of 20 detailed measures across 4 sectors: livelihood stabilization, safety and health, culture and welfare, and transportation and convenience. The main contents are as follows:

■ Livelihood Stabilization

First and foremost, measures to stabilize prices during the Lunar New Year holiday are being strengthened. The province will operate a price control task force with 31 cities and counties to survey prices of seasonal products and conduct intensive inspections of violations of fair trade practices, including excessive price increases and measurement violations.

Local currency incentives are also being provided to support small merchants and reduce the burden on residents' shopping costs. Gyeonggi local currency offers discounts ranging from a minimum of 8% to a maximum of 20% depending on the city or county, and the purchase limit per person is increased to a maximum of 2 million won. The Gyeonggi Social Economy Online Shopping Mall, Gongsamilshop (031#), is conducting 20-30% discount promotions until the 22nd, and Market Gyeonggi, large discount stores, and local food stores are providing 30% discount coupons for Gyeonggi agricultural, livestock, and fishery products and flowers until the 16th.

Food safety management includes investigations of illegal manufacturing and distribution of substandard or defective foods at seasonal product manufacturing, processing, and sales businesses, medium and large-scale marts, and restaurants, and guidance inspections on consumption deadlines, hygiene, and country of origin labeling. A 24-hour quarantine control headquarters is also being operated to prevent the spread of livestock infectious diseases such as African swine fever.

Additionally, a wage arrears report center (☎031-8030-4634) is being operated to protect workers' rights, and "on-site labor rights consultations" are being conducted in crowded areas such as subway stations (Uijeongbu Station, Chunui Station).

■ Safety and Health

To provide continuous medical support during the Lunar New Year holidays, 73 emergency medical institutions and health centers in 31 cities and counties operate emergency medical response centers. Information on open clinics and hospitals (11,373 locations) and pharmacies (7,961 locations) can be found through call centers (031-120, 129), the 119 emergency response management center, the Emergency Medical Information Portal (E-GEN), and emergency medical information provision apps.

When extreme cold warnings are in effect, approximately 140,000 households registered as home health management targets are visited directly to confirm safety and provided with cold-weather and thermal products such as gloves and socks. A 24-hour emergency quarantine system is also operating to prevent the occurrence and spread of respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza.

Additionally, 18,060 public-use facilities including traditional markets and large retail facilities are being inspected to prevent fires and disasters, and public security is being strengthened through comprehensive security operations by national police and autonomous police according to their functions to immediately address residents' inconveniences at the scene.

■ Culture and Welfare

Barrier-free tourist attractions accessible during the Lunar New Year period include 43 locations such as Suwon Hwaseong, Yongin Korean Folk Village, Anseong Matjjim Land, Goyang Aqua Planet Ilsan, Gapyeong Jarasum, and Yeoncheon Jungokri Archaeological Site. Admission fees, program costs, and closure information on the holidays can be verified through each attraction's website.

Free-admission museums and art galleries include △Gyeonggi Museum "Oseochang: Land of Hibiscus" △Gyeonggi Museum "Oriental Historian An Jung-geun - Unification is Independence" △Nam June Paik Art Center "All-knowing Nam June Paik's Viewpoint" △Nam June Paik Art Center "Joan Jonas: Beyond Human" △Gyeonggi Museum of Art "Non-material: Gap Between Expression and Thought" △Gyeonggi Museum of Art "From the Small" △Gyeonggi Museum of Art "Dream House" △Silhak Museum "Portraits Drawn from China" △Namyangju Municipal Museum "Love Became Home: Palaces of Namyangju" △Anyang Museum "Samsung Giyouchop: Walking Anyang Through Paintings" △Hwaseong Independence Movement Memorial Hall "1919.4.15. Hours Toward Light" △Yeoju Museum "Yeoju Sangwonsa: Awakening from the Soil". The museums and art galleries will be closed on February 17th, Lunar New Year's Day.

Discounts for professional sports viewing are being provided for seniors aged 70 and above and people with disabilities. Two professional volleyball games will be held in Suwon and Hwaseong, and two professional basketball games in Yongin and Anyang, and home games can be viewed for 1,000 won through each team's official website or on-site purchases.

Gyeonggi Province is implementing emergency heating cost support as a special measure for vulnerable populations during the Lunar New Year. Heating costs of 50,000 won per household for 341,530 households of recipients and near-destitute persons, and 600,000 to 2 million won per facility for 17 homeless shelters, will be distributed sequentially starting from the 12th.

All approximately 170,000 vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities will have their well-being confirmed through IoT devices, telephone, and in-person visits. Residents facing urgent welfare crises can receive consultations through four channels: the emergency welfare hotline (010-4419-7722), the integrated crisis consultation call center (031-120), Gyeonggi Welfare G-Talk, and the emergency welfare call center website. The crisis youth consultation hotline (031-1388) operates 24 hours year-round, providing services including discovery, rescue, counseling, and protection for youth in crisis.

Meanwhile, the "Gyeonggi Ultra-Low Credit Loan 2.0" project, which provides loans of up to 2 million won at a low annual interest rate of 1% for low-credit residents who have difficulty accessing mainstream financial services, begins accepting applications from the 11th. Applications can be made through the Gyeonggi Civil Complaint 24 website, and for those who have difficulty with online applications, they can visit the nearest administrative welfare center.

■ Transportation and Convenience

A 24-hour special transportation measures control room is being operated during the Lunar New Year holidays when transportation demand surges, and public transportation is being operated flexibly. Intercity buses will increase from 277 existing routes to 406 routes, and urban railroads including the Uijeongbu Light Rail, Line 7 (Bucheon section), and Lines 5 and 8 (Hanam Line, Byeolnae Line) are planned to operate late-night extended hours until 1:00 AM on the 17th and 18th.

City and town buses will extend their last buses by one hour depending on the circumstances of each city and county, and real-time traffic information will be provided through the Traffic Information Center website and private portals such as T-map and Kakao Map.

From midnight on the 15th to midnight on the 18th, for 4 days, three private toll roads in the province—the Seosuwon-Uiwang expressway, the Third Gyeongin expressway, and Ilsan Bridge—can be used toll-free. An estimated total of approximately 1.39 million vehicles are expected to use these roads during this period.

Additionally, management of household waste, special monitoring of environmental pollutant emission facilities, and response to forest disasters will be strengthened during the Lunar New Year holidays to reduce living inconvenience and environmental damage.