[DigitalToday reporter Jin-ho Lee] The Ministry of Science and ICT's Korea Post said on Saturday it will offer a special sale of a parking account that pays interest rates of up to 2.0 percent a year, limited to 50,000 accounts.

The Korea Post Daily Interest Parking Account, which goes on sale from Aug. 10, allows free deposits and withdrawals. It offers a base rate of 1.6 percent a year on daily balances up to 10 million won, plus up to 0.4 percentage points in preferential rates, for a maximum annual rate of 2.0 percent.

Preferential rates apply depending on whether conditions are met, including first-time customers for demand deposit accounts, customers aged 50 and older, customers with an average monthly balance of at least 300,000 won in demand deposit accounts, members of Korea Post's integrated membership programme, and customers who participate in donations.

The product was first launched in August last year, and all 100,000 accounts offered in a limited sale were sold out. Korea Post will also hold a sign-up event to mark the special sale, offering gold bars, LG StandbyMe2, Roborock robot vacuum cleaners and mobile gift certificates.

As part of its social contribution activities, it will pay an extra 0.2 percentage points in preferential interest to customers who donate at least 1,000 won among parking account subscribers. The donations will be delivered through the Korea Post Public Interest Foundation to the Korea Rare and Intractable Disease Federation and used for treatment costs for patients with rare diseases.

Korea Post chief Park In-hwan (박인환) said, "We prepared the special sale to provide optimal interest benefits for short-term operating funds and to improve convenience in managing customers' funds." He added, "We will continue to develop financial products that reflect customers' needs."