Gyeonggi-do to Hold Monthly Flea Market at Former Government Office Building

Munhori River Market, a representative flea market in South Korea

Gyeonggi Province will hold a 'flea market' every month at the old provincial government building starting in April.

On the 29th, the province announced that it will regularly operate the flea market 'Gyeonggi Opportunity Market' every month to revitalize the commercial district around the old government building, which has declined since the relocation of the provincial office, and to provide opportunities for independence to artists, farmers, and small business owners.

The Gyeonggi Opportunity Market will be held in collaboration with well-known domestic flea markets such as 'Munho-ri River Market,' the 'Suwon Mom Gather Naver Cafe,' and the Nonghyup Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters.

First, on May 1st and 2nd, the 'Munho-ri River Market' will be held on the lawn yard of the old government building. A total of 50 teams of artists and farmers will participate in the event. In particular, Jung Eun-hye, an artist and actress from Munho-ri River Market who became famous for her role as 'Young-hee' in last year's drama 'Our Blues,' will sell her paintings.

The Munho-ri River Market started in April 2014 with about 20 stores along the Munho-ri riverside, established by local residents settled in Yangpyeong Munho-ri. It has now become Korea's representative flea market, attracting tens of thousands of visitors with over 300 teams of artists and 100 teams of farmers selling handmade products and agricultural goods, as well as operating experience booths.

Since February 2021, due to COVID-19, it has been operating as Maeil Sanghoe, which is held daily, and on weekends, it visits economically depressed areas such as the Uljin wildfire damage area and the Taebaek mining village to promote regional win-win projects.

Additionally, the province will hold a pre-event for the '2023 Gyeonggi Provincial Government Spring Flower Festival' on May 1st and 2nd, coinciding with the spring flower blooming season. The spring flower festival at the provincial government building, which was suspended for four years due to COVID-19, will be held for three days from May 7th to 9th.

Yoo Tae-il, Director of the Provincial Autonomous Administration Bureau, explained, "The 'Gyeonggi Opportunity Market' was initiated to provide artists and farmers with opportunities for independence, residents with opportunities for cultural experience and consumption, and the surrounding commercial district with opportunities for profit generation, thereby promoting regional coexistence through revitalization of the old government building's commercial area."