Gwangju Seo-gu - Yangdong Market - Emart Gwangju Branch, Join Hands in Eco-friendly Win-Win Agreement

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Shin Dong-ho] Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Kim I-gang) announced on the 28th that it signed an upcycling business agreement for mutual growth and coexistence with Yangdong Traditional Market and E-Mart Gwangju Branch at the Seo-gu Office Nanum Hall.

This is the first case nationwide where a traditional market and a large supermarket share reusable shopping bag eco-bags to promote a shopping culture without disposable plastic bags, and further cooperate in practicing carbon neutrality and responding to the climate crisis.

Through this agreement, E-Mart Gwangju Branch will provide about 25,000 reusable shopping bag eco-bags free of charge every month to Yangdong Traditional Market.

The seven merchant associations of Yangdong Traditional Market plan to recycle these bags and provide them to customers purchasing goods, thereby creating a new market culture without disposable plastic bags.

Seo-gu plans to use this agreement as an opportunity to build a close cooperative relationship between large corporations and traditional markets, aiming to revitalize the local commercial district and develop the local economy, while further enhancing customer convenience and service quality.

Attendees at the signing ceremony included Seo-gu Mayor Kim I-gang, E-Mart Gwangju Branch Manager Kim Se-min, Vice President Jeong Seong-min of Yangdong Market Merchant Association, Merchant Association President Yoo Kyung-im of Yangdong Covered Arcade Market, Merchant Association President Kim Jang-ho of Yangdong Dakjeon-gil Market, Manager Yang Seon-gwan of Yangdong Fish Market, and Merchant Association President Lee Myung-geun of Yangdong Dried Fish Market.

Mayor Kim I-gang of Seo-gu said, “I hope that Yangdong Traditional Market and E-Mart Gwangju Branch can unite in reducing the use of disposable products and create a successful model of advanced and eco-friendly consumption culture. The district office will also take great interest and actively support the coexistence and cooperation between traditional markets and large supermarkets to build a sustainable ecosystem.”

E-Mart Gwangju Branch Manager Kim Se-min said, “Starting with reducing disposable products and leading environmental protection, we will actively cooperate on the path of mutual growth with traditional markets.”

Representatives of the seven merchant associations of Yangdong Traditional Market said, “In difficult circumstances with decreased sales due to COVID-19 and other factors, we will do our best to practice the great cause of ‘carbon-neutral green growth’ and turn this into an opportunity to become an innovative market. We hope to coexist and grow together with large supermarkets rather than compete.”

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Shin Dong-ho baekok@asiae.co.kr