Incheon Namdong-gu, Illegal Street Vendor Cleanup in School Zones... Resolving 30-Year Long-Term Complaints

Street vendors who had illegally occupied children's protection zones for a long time have disappeared due to the local government's continuous efforts.

Namdong-gu, Incheon, announced on the 22nd that it had resolved a long-standing chronic complaint by clearing illegal street vendors on the sidewalk in front of Namdong Elementary School in Mansu-dong.

According to the district, this area had been a representative cluster of street vendors in the region, with vendors illegally occupying the space for about 30 years since the late 1990s when the foreign exchange crisis hit.

There had been numerous complaints about the street vendors, including inconvenience in passage due to items piled on the sidewalk, safety concerns in the children's protection zone in front of the school, and deterioration of urban aesthetics. Because of this, the district had been working on clearing the street vendors through continuous fines and administrative enforcement, but the problem was not completely eradicated.

However, in addition to about three months of administrative measures, the district obtained cooperation from the Jangseungbaegi Traditional Market Merchants Association nearby and persuaded the street vendors through several dialogues. Recently, it is known that the street vendors either moved into the Jangseungbaegi Traditional Market or left the area due to business closures.

Before maintenance, street vendors are illegally occupying the sidewalk in front of Namdong Elementary School. [Photo provided by Namdong-gu, Incheon]

The sidewalk in front of Namdong Elementary School, which was densely packed with street vendors, has been renovated.
[Photo provided by Incheo Namdong-gu]

The district plans to strengthen crackdowns to prevent illegal street vendors from settling again in this area and is reviewing various measures to eradicate illegal road occupation.

Park Jonghyo, Mayor of Namdong-gu, said, "Although it was a difficult situation to resolve due to long-term illegal occupation, through persistent persuasion and efforts, we were able to protect both the safety of the children's protection zone and the urban aesthetics. We will continue to strive for the safety and happiness of residents through proactive administration."