Training for Street Vendor Operators in Myeongdong and Namdaemun Market

At the forefront of welcoming tourists, the Seoul Jung-gu Office (Mayor Kim Gil-seong) conducted training for street stall operators. This training, resumed for the first time in four years since COVID-19, took place over two days on April 29 and 30 at the 7th-floor auditorium of the Jung-gu Office.

The training targeted 714 street stall operators from Myeongdong, Namdaemun Market, Jungang Market, and Jungbu Market.

With the number of foreign tourists recovering to pre-COVID-19 levels, the district office emphasized the important role of street stalls in making Jung-gu a "tourist destination worth revisiting." The training covered detailed topics including ▲street stall operation regulations ▲food hygiene management ▲appropriate pricing methods ▲customer service skills ▲and prevention of safety accidents such as fires.

The district office stressed strict measures against illegal activities such as transfer of operating rights. They also requested cooperation to enable card payments, explaining the current reality that additional tourist inflow is difficult with systems that only accept cash payments or involve overcharging. Best practices in street stall operations, ways to improve service quality, and sales strategies aligned with changing trends were also shared.

In accordance with street stall operation regulations, Jung-gu temporarily legalized street stall operations in 2016. Authorized street stalls cannot transfer their rights to others, and if operation becomes difficult, they must return their operating rights. The purpose is to prevent indiscriminate proliferation of street stalls and to allow livelihood-based street stalls to operate without worries about crackdowns or rent fees.

The district plans to strengthen training for street stall operators by making participation in training a mandatory requirement when renewing street stall permits in the future.

Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, stated, "If street stalls comply well with regulations and provide high-quality service, they will become a tourist attraction." He added, "Jung-gu will thoroughly manage and educate street stalls to help them become another point of interest."