Street Vendor Cleanup Around Sindebang Station in Gwanak-gu... Resident Satisfaction at 88%

‘Gwanak S Special Street’ with a Shared Shelter Receives High Resident Satisfaction
Resident satisfaction survey shows 88% ‘satisfied or above’ for the Gwanak S Special Street near Sindebang Station with organized street vendors

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) has renovated unauthorized street stalls and infrastructure around Sindaebang Station for the first time in 40 years and newly reborn the area as ‘Gwanak S Special Street’ in May this year.

The ‘S’ in Gwanak S Special Street stands for ‘Sindaebang Station,’ ‘Safety’ in pedestrian environment, and ‘Smile’ representing residents and merchants living together harmoniously.

Some spaces that had been illegally occupied by street vendors for 40 years were converted to district ownership and newly created as a ‘shared resting area’ for both street vendors and residents. After a pilot operation of the shared resting area, full-scale operation began in August.

As a result, about 150 residents visit daily on average, receiving great response from the local community.

In particular, during this record-breaking heatwave, continuous air conditioning operation effectively served as a resting place for elderly people vulnerable to health risks.

In September, a survey was conducted among nearby residents regarding the effects after the creation of Gwanak S Special Street. The results showed that 88% gave positive evaluations of ‘satisfaction,’ confirming clear improvement effects.

Detailed survey results showed ▲‘satisfaction or higher 88%’ regarding cleanliness of the street ▲‘satisfaction or higher 82%’ regarding comfortable and safe pedestrian environment ▲‘satisfaction or higher 80%’ regarding hygiene and environment of street stalls ▲‘satisfaction or higher 89%’ regarding improvement of urban aesthetics, demonstrating high satisfaction levels.

Meanwhile, various resident suggestions and opinions on safety measures were collected, including ▲security maintenance in Gwanak S Special Street ▲continuous management and supervision ▲crackdown on illegal bicycle parking ▲requests for surrounding smoking bans. Plans are in place to improve these through active cooperation among departments.

Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, said, “We will continuously manage the newly reborn Sindaebang Station Gwanak S Special Street so that it becomes a place loved by residents,” adding, “Reflecting the results of this survey, we will do our best to promote coexistence between street vendors and residents, contributing to regional development and enhancing the district’s urban brand value.”