The anti-graft law that limits public officials, journalists and private school teachers from giving or receiving gifts worth more than 50,000 won ($41.70), has changed the trend of gift sets for the upcoming Lunar New Year -- mainly from beef to pork, industry sources said Monday.

Lotte Department Store introduced its first-ever pork gift set earlier this month as part of a preliminary sales event held for the New Year.

The upcoming Lunar New Year on Jan. 28, is the first traditional holiday since the anti-graft law went into effect last September.

Lotte Department Store’s pork gift set is marked at 49,000 won, consisting of a kilogram of pork belly and 0.5 kilogram of Boston butt.

Department stores have traditionally sold gift sets made up of Korean beef, or hanwoo, rather than pork, as the former is considered more of a luxury gift.

“We believe affordable pork gift sets are good alternatives for pricey gift sets composed of hanwoo for customers restrained by the anti-graft law,” said a spokesperson of Lotte Department Store.

The retailer has also increased the volume of other diverse gift sets priced below the 50,000 won mark by over 60 percent. Sales of gifts worth less than 50,000 won rose 54 percent on-year, as of Dec. 22, the company said.

Lotte.com Inc., an online shopping mall run by Lotte Group, has also planned a gift set of pork instead of beef to be sold from Dec. 29. The sets also include a combination of frozen Korean beef and pork at a price of 49,900 won.

South Korea’s Hyundai Department Store, meanwhile, rolled out its first pork bulgogi gift set at 50,000 won in collaboration with a local restaurant that specializes in bulgogi, or grilled marinated pork.

Before the latest trend, most pork-related gift sets were limited to processed foods, such as canned ham.

Aside from pork, other food items have risen as popular alternatives.

Lotte Department Store, for instance, offers gift sets consisting of five dried yellow corvinas at 49,000 won along with Jeju tangerines and citrus tea at 49,000 won.

Shinsegae Department Store sells domestic mackerels seasoned with salt at 50,000 won.

To keep up with the demand for beef, Shinsegae has also introduced a gift set composed of Australian beef at 50,000 won, along with a set of dried corvinas at 50,000 won, according to its spokesman.

Meanwhile, the anti-graft law is also expected to drive more customers shopping for Lunar New Year presents at discount chains instead of pricier department stores, market experts projected.

According to South Korea’s leading discount chain E-mart, sales of gift sets worth less than 50,000 won soared 418 percent on-year, whereas gifts worth more than 50,000 won rose 94 percent, during a preliminary sales event held between Dec. 8 and 18. 

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)