It was belatedly reported that the Commercial Department of the South Pyongan Province People’s Committee issued a notice to all markets in the province that market operating hours would be reduced for the month of October.
A source from South Pyongan Province said on the 11th, “The Commercial Bureau of the South Pyongan Province People’s Committee reduced the market operating hours from October 1 to November 2 for a month from October 1 to November 2 to 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in line with the fall rural mobilization period and winter preparation period at the end of last month. “We announced to all market management offices in the province that we will operate it,” he said.
Accordingly, it is reported that markets in South Pyongan Province are currently open only for three hours in the afternoon.
The Commercial Department of the Provincial People’s Committee explained that the market operating hours have been adjusted efficiently so that all residents in the province can participate in autumn harvesting, and urged market merchants to participate in the general autumn harvesting mobilization to be completed and to follow the regulations for commuting times. It is said that the government requested that it be maintained.
Sources said that some merchants reacted positively to the provincial commercial bureau’s announcement of reduced market operating hours.
He said, “Recently, as the lives of residents have become more difficult, business is not going well,” and “So, some merchants have to sit in the market all day, but their products are not selling well and they are having a hard time, so they shortened their operating hours just during the fall harvest season.” “The response is that it went well,” he said.
However, most Merchants are said to be dissatisfied with the demand that market taxes be paid the same as before while reducing market operating hours.
According to the source, the Provincial Commerce Bureau emphasized to market management offices that even if market operating hours are shortened, market taxes must be collected and monthly plans must be maintained unconditionally.
The source said, “During the spring and fall rural support seasons, it is difficult for market management offices to execute monthly (market tax collection) plans,” adding, “When returning from a rural support trip, there is not enough time to do business, and business does not go smoothly in a short period of time, so merchants “This is because they tend to run away from home before paying the rent,” he said.
Meanwhile, merchants at the wholesale market in Pyongseong are known to be complaining that the short operating hours make it difficult to trade products with wholesalers from other regions, such as Nampo.
Moreover, they say that since it is fall and the days are getting shorter, merchants who wholesale are inconvenienced, and they are expressing their opinions on the Provincial Commerce Bureau’s measure to shorten market operating hours.
In response, the Commerce Bureau is said to be seeking understanding from merchants, emphasizing that the reduction in operating hours is a temporary measure that will only be implemented for the month of October.
Source: www.dailynk.com
