Village Management Social Cooperative Opens Mokpo Sanghoe in Mokpo Old Downtown

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] The 1897 Gaehang Cultural Street Village Management Social Cooperative (hereinafter referred to as the Village Management Cooperative) opened Mokpo Sanghoe, a local edit shop, in Mokpo Old Downtown on the 7th.

According to the Village Management Cooperative, through the vacant house regeneration project called Gonggagonga, which utilizes vacant spaces abandoned in the village, four vacant stores in the old downtown were leased free of charge. Three of these spaces support the artwork activities and exhibitions of local artist creators, and one space is used by 15 youth groups to produce and sell souvenirs to build the Mokpo brand together.

In January last year, the Village Management Cooperative established a social cooperative, a non-profit organization, through voluntary investment by 100 local residents in connection with the Mokpo Urban Regeneration Support Center and central government social economy policy support, to continuously regenerate the modern historical cultural street. They are creating an advanced case that connects village communities within the urban regeneration area and fosters an ecosystem of the social economy sector.

In particular, ‘Mokpo Sanghoe’ is accelerating efforts to secure competitiveness in online sales such as SNS marketing and opening smart stores through government-supported digital capability enhancement education aimed at pioneering the expanding online market due to COVID-19. This is to create sustainability for the Village Management Cooperative and generate jobs for local artists and youth by developing and selling tourism products that reflect Mokpo’s characteristics.

Through these efforts, the ‘1897 Gaehang Cultural Street Village Management Social Cooperative’ is expected to achieve a triple effect of promotion, income generation, and new market development by securing the online market.

Meanwhile, Jeollanam-do Province plans to continue supporting education to help small business owners, who are vulnerable to rapid market changes during the activation of the digital-based non-face-to-face market through digital capability enhancement education, to bridge the digital divide and build online self-sustainability.