A street in Chinatown in the southeastern South Korean port city of Busan remains vacant on Feb. 5, 2020, amid fears of the new coronavirus that originated in China. (Yonhap)
JEONJU, Feb. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — A local landlord reduced the price of monthly rent paid by a restaurant struggling with the coronavirus outbreak.
The landlord in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province offered a 10 percent discount on the monthly rent paid by the restaurant on Thursday to support the business seriously impacted by the coronavirus.
The landlord vowed to lift the offer only when the coronavirus is contained.
What drove the landlord to make the decision was the agreement on coexistence concluded by landlords, businesses, and tenants in the area last March.
The coexistence committee has met regularly with local landlords to freeze or cut the price of monthly rent.
“There are more vacancies now, which makes it hard for me too. But I understand that the tenants are placed in worse conditions, and we should unite to overcome them,” said the landlord.
“I’ve been worried sick because the coronavirus is hurting my shop, but now I know that there is still humanity left in this world,” said the tenant.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
