Environmental Improvements Including Replacement of Aging Facilities and Introduction of Evaporative Cooling Systems... High Satisfaction Among Merchants and Visitors
Operation of Market Managers as Traditional Market Stewards... Strengthening Expertise to Enhance Commercial Area Self-Sustainability
Support for Growth of Allied Commercial Areas Around Ilsan Market... Efforts to Ease Alley Shopping District Designation Criteria
Goyang Special City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Dong-hwan) is home to four traditional markets, three shopping districts, and 24 alleyway commercial areas designated by Gyeonggi Province. The city is working to revitalize the local economy by improving outdated facilities in traditional markets to enhance safety and convenience, introducing professional managers, and strengthening alliances among alleyway commercial areas.
Lee Dong-hwan, mayor of Goyang Special City, is smiling brightly while talking with merchants during a visit to a traditional market. Photo by Goyang Special City
In September, Goyang City completed the renovation of old electrical wiring at Wondang Traditional Market and Deok-i-dong Main Town Shopping District. A total of 77 individual stores within the traditional markets and shopping districts had their outdated electrical equipment replaced, significantly reducing the risk of fire. Merchants and visitors can now use the markets in a much safer environment.
Additionally, to ensure merchants receive realistic compensation in case of fire damage, the city is supporting enrollment in government-operated fire mutual aid insurance products. By December, subsidies of up to 200,000 KRW, which is 60% of the insurance premium, will be provided for fire insurance enrollment covering a total of 110 stores across three traditional markets.
Meanwhile, by September, evaporative cooling systems were installed at Ilsan and Wondang Traditional Markets. With a total project cost of 560 million KRW, 72 units were installed at Ilsan Traditional Market and 33 units at Wondang Traditional Market, creating a more comfortable environment in the traditional markets.
The evaporative cooling system sprays water in a fine mist form, absorbing surrounding heat energy and lowering the temperature as the water evaporates. This system also helps suppress fine dust and prevent pest intrusion, and by utilizing RGB lighting in various colors, it is expected to provide visual effects as well.
Goyang Special City is promoting a traditional market manager support project to improve operational efficiency and revitalize commercial areas. Market managers, introduced in 2020, are currently operating in four traditional markets and three shopping districts with an investment of about 90 million KRW this year through a national and provincial government grant program.
Traditional market managers have completed specific training to acquire professional knowledge and experience. They handle administrative tasks such as tax filing, support merchant education, and assist in managing merchant associations, effectively serving as expert market administrators. They also discover the unique characteristics of each market to plan and operate festivals and events that attract more visitors and local residents to the traditional markets.
From July to October, the city selected specialized project plans aimed at attracting new consumer groups to traditional markets and shopping districts, providing a total budget of 50 million KRW. Based on this, Samsong Shopping District held the “Goyang Graffiti Festival,” Deok-i-dong Fashion No.1 hosted on- and offline live commerce events along with leather name tag making experiences, and Neunggok Market held an autumn festival featuring gift giveaways based on purchase amounts and programs such as making personalized bags and keyrings, injecting vitality into the markets.
Goyang City is fostering the development of local commercial areas by forming an alliance among Ilsan Traditional Market, Ilsan Seomun Shopping District, and Ilsan Station Alleyway Commercial Area. In May, the Ilsan Market Alliance was selected for the “2024 Gyeonggi Province Alliance Commercial Area Development and Support” public project, and plans to expand and support its growth.
Through this project, specialized products reflecting the characteristics of each commercial area will be developed and promoted to provide attractive shopping experiences for local residents and visitors. Environmental improvements such as installing banner stands, repairing aging arcades, and setting up logo projectors (lighting that displays letters) will also be carried out by June next year.
Meanwhile, a revision of the ordinance to relax the designation criteria for alleyway shopping districts is also underway. Alleyway shopping districts refer to areas where stores operated by small business owners are densely concentrated above a certain level. Once designated as an alleyway shopping district, they can register as Onnuri gift certificate affiliated stores like traditional markets or shopping districts, and receive benefits such as participation in environment improvement and revitalization support projects through public contests.
Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, said, “We are continuing various attempts and efforts such as environmental improvements and content development to create traditional markets that people want to visit. We will build commercial areas where local values can be experienced to strengthen the competitiveness of the alleyway economy.”
The city plans to continue strengthening local commercial areas based on close cooperation with merchants and actively promote the revitalization of the alleyway economy through deregulation.
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