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Korea will hand out 300,000 lodging discount coupons this summer in a sweeping push to steer travelers beyond the capital region and into rural communities struggling with population decline. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday that it will launch the “2026 Summer Lodging Sale Festa” from Thursday, June 11, through Friday, July 31, offering discounted accommodations in 85 regions outside the capital that have been designated as depopulation risk areas. The program is designed to stimulate domestic tourism during the summer season while injecting new spending into local economies facing demographic decline. Under the program, travelers booking one-night stays can receive discounts of 20,000 won ($13) or 30,000 won depending on the price of the lodging package. New discounts introduced this year offer up to 70,000 won off accommodations for consecutive stays of two nights or more. Officials said the expanded discounts are intended to ease travel costs while encouraging higher spending at local businesses. Eligible accommodations include hotels, resorts, condos and pe