Jung In-hwa, Mayor of Gwangyang, Promises Efforts to Revitalize the Market
Listening to Merchants' Difficulties Following the Opening of the Daily Market
On the 22nd, Jeong In-hwa, mayor of Gwangyang City, Jeollanam-do, listened to various voices including the difficulties of citizens during the ‘Gwangyang Impression Day’ held in August at the Gwangyang City Hall Citizen Reception Room.
Eight members of the Daily Market Merchants Association visited for this ‘Gwangyang Impression Day.’
The Merchants Association voiced difficulties related to the opening of the daily market, including ▲conducting a fact-finding survey under the 「Special Act on the Promotion of Traditional Markets and Shopping Districts」, ▲measures to revitalize Gwangyang Daily Market, ▲relief for business damages caused by facility modernization projects, ▲deferment of public utility payments and exemption for shared usage, and ▲confirmation of existing deposit payment records.
Mayor Jeong responded regarding the issue of conducting a fact-finding survey under the 「Special Act on the Promotion of Traditional Markets and Shopping Districts」, stating that since the 2016 amendment of the law, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the competent authority, has not issued related guidelines, and there have been no nationwide cases of market fact-finding surveys conducted. Therefore, he said he would first request the central government to issue unified standards and guidelines for the fact-finding survey.
Regarding measures to revitalize Gwangyang Daily Market, he replied that since the daily market has been registered as a certified market through the facility modernization project and has acquired qualifications for various support and contest projects, Gwangyang City will actively support the market’s revitalization through selection for various contest projects such as the Market Management Package Support Project and Specialized Market Promotion Project.
Next, concerning relief for business damages caused by the facility modernization project, he asked for the Merchants Association’s understanding, explaining that there is no legal basis for relief of business damages caused by the facility modernization project, and that nationwide, markets that opened temporary markets did not receive separate relief.
Regarding the deferment of public utility payments and exemption for shared usage, as well as confirmation of existing deposit payment records, Mayor Jeong said he would check whether other markets have deferred public utility payments and review whether it is possible to separately charge public utility fees for the shared parts used by general citizens from those used by market merchants. He also said he would look for related materials regarding the whereabouts of the market entry deposit paid 40 years ago in Gwangyang-eup.
Additionally, besides the five major difficulties, the Daily Market Merchants Association proposed ▲establishing a new bus route passing through the daily market, ▲market revitalization consulting by experts such as Baek Jong-won, and ▲installation of an event stage within the market.
Mayor Jeong said that although it is difficult to change bus routes as the route reorganization has been completed, he would promptly review the matter through the relevant departments. He also responded that after reviewing various matters such as the cost of expert consulting and the feasibility of stage installation, he would provide guidance.
Jeong In-hwa, mayor of Gwangyang City, said, “I thank the members of the Merchants Association who took precious time out of their busy work to visit.” He added, “We will work with the Merchants Association to revitalize the market so that the traditional market, rich in things to buy, see, and enjoy, can become a happy daily market every day.”
Meanwhile, Gwangyang City holds ‘Gwangyang Impression Day’ every month, providing an opportunity for any citizen to freely share opinions about city administration by meeting market officials (vice mayor, directors), thereby seeking the development direction of Gwangyang City together with its citizens.
Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr
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