SEOUL, July 12 — President Lee Jae-myung said Saturday that he hopes citizens would join a move to dine out as part of efforts to boost domestic demand, Yonhap News Agency reported.

On Friday, Lee had dinner at a restaurant in central Seoul with his staff in a way to promote dining out to help small-sized brick-and-mortar restaurants and small merchants, overcome a slump amid sluggish domestic demand.

“I personally hope citizens would visit nearby restaurants to promote and cheer on their businesses … which will in turn revive the local economy and become an impetus for a bright future of South Korea,” Lee said in a social media post.

Lee’s remarks came as the country will begin distributing cash handouts to all citizens on July 21 as part of a government initiative aimed at stimulating domestic consumption.

All South Korean citizens residing in the country will receive a one-time payment of 150,000 won, depending on their income levels.Lee earlier instructed senior aides to draw up measures to maximise the effects of cash handouts, which is a part of an extra budget as a stimulus package to boost private consumption. — Bernama-Yonhap