Major Marts Observe Mandatory Closures on Aug. 9 and 23; Open on Aug. 2 with Store-specific Sales

Major discount stores, including E-mart, Lotte Mart, Homeplus, and Costco, will open on Sunday, August 2—the first Sunday of the month—to hold store-specific discount events. However, they will observe mandatory closures on the second and fourth Sundays, August 9 and 23. Under the Distribution Industry Development Act, major marts in Korea are required to close on the second and fourth Sundays of every month.

General operating hours are from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM for E-mart, 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM for Lotte Mart, and 10:00 AM to midnight for Homeplus and Costco. Costco observes closures on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, as well as on New Year's Day, Seollal (Lunar New Year), and Chuseok (Harvest Festival). Operating hours and closure dates may vary by location, so customers are advised to check the specific store's website or app before visiting.

The major mart industry stated that while the relaxation of distribution laws allowing online orders and delivery enabled them to enter the dawn delivery market, regulations regarding mandatory business closures remain in effect.

Approximately 30 to 40% of local governments nationwide have shifted mandatory closure days for major marts to weekdays. Seoul's Jung-gu changed its mandatory closure day to the second and fourth Wednesdays, while Gwanak-gu, Seocho-gu, and Dongdaemun-gu have also switched to weekdays to maintain normal weekend operations. In Busan, 10 districts and counties, including Gangseo-gu, Dong-gu, Saha-gu, and Suyeong-gu, switched to Mondays, as did Daegu City starting in February 2023. Multiple cities and counties in Gyeonggi Province, such as Goyang and Paju, as well as Jung-gu, Nam-gu, and Buk-gu in Ulsan, designated Wednesdays, and Cheongju City followed suit in May 2023. Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province changed the mandatory closure days for major marts and SSMs to Wednesdays to allow normal Sunday operations; however, Costco Uijeongbu observes mandatory closures on the second and fourth Sundays. The Jeju region designates Fridays and Saturdays as mandatory closure days.