Gokseong Ttukbang Market Local Branding Project Wins Minister of the Interior and Safety Award

Creating Communities Where People Want to Live and Visit Project

Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Lee Sang-cheol) announced on the 1st that its project "Giving Wings to Ttukbang Market" was selected for the 2023 Local Branding Activation Support Project at the Living Area Unit and received the Minister of the Interior and Safety Award.

The "Local Branding Activation Support Project" (abbreviated as Local Branding Project), promoted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety as a public contest project in March, selected 10 local governments nationwide.

[Photo by Gokseong-gun]

Among them, four local governments including Gokseong-gun were awarded commendations for regional revitalization contributions.

Accordingly, Gokseong-gun plans to promote the Ttukbang Market local branding project by installing a sticker photo booth within Ttukbang Market.

By placing a sticker photo booth in Ttukbang Market to allow free photo shooting, they intend to maximize the promotional effect of local branding.

In addition, in December, a Christmas photo zone will be created at Ttukbang Market to hold an event where visitors can feel the year-end atmosphere.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s "Local Branding Project" is a project aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of living areas by utilizing unique local resources and characteristics, creating regions where residents want to live and tourists want to visit.

Selected local governments receive 300 million KRW in special grants in the first year and 1 billion KRW in the second year.

Through this, each local government can make necessary investments to build branding with their own characteristics and competitiveness.

Gokseong-gun plans to establish a long-term basic plan for Ttukbang Market through this local branding project.

They also plan to create rest areas utilizing the natural scenery of Gokseong Ttukbang, install a promotion center, create nighttime scenery, and use it as a fusion space with local value creators.

A Gokseong-gun official said, "Thanks to continuous communication and idea meetings with the Ttukbang Market Cooperative, we were able to be selected for this project. Going forward, we aim to revitalize the local economy by utilizing alleyway commercial districts and traditional markets centered on Ttukbang Market, and develop the area into a cultural enjoyment space for artists and a startup incubator space."

Ttukbang Market was created in 2016 by renovating an abandoned river embankment near Seomjingang Train Village into a flea market. As of November 2023, Ttukbang Market has been held every Saturday for a total of 157 times, establishing itself as a new tourist attraction in Gokseong-gun.

At each event, more than 60 sellers from all over the country participate, exhibiting and selling various handicrafts, providing opportunities for art and cultural enjoyment not only to local residents but also to tourists.

Gokseong = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Cha Jong-seon hss79@asiae.co.kr