What Are Seoul District Mayors Buying at Traditional Markets Ahead of the Lunar New Year?

Park Hee-young, Mayor of Yongsan District, visits neighborhood commercial districts and listens to merchants’ concerns
Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin District, shops at Junggok Jeil and Myeongok Markets
Ryu Kyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang District, visits traditional market event sites

The Lunar New Year holiday, a major traditional festival, is just over 10 days away.

Since the end of last year, neighborhood commercial districts have frozen up, causing the economy of ordinary citizens to shrink.

Amid this situation, Park Hee-young, Mayor of Yongsan District, and Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin District, have drawn attention by visiting traditional markets and showing efforts to revive neighborhood commercial districts.

Park Hee-young, mayor of Yongsan District, is listening to the difficulties of merchants at a cafe in Haebangchon.

On the 17th, Park Hee-young, Mayor of Yongsan District, visited major neighborhood commercial districts in the area, encouraging merchants who are struggling due to the emergency martial law situation and inspecting the livelihood sites.

With the prolonged economic downturn and the emergency martial law, consumer sentiment has been greatly dampened, deepening the difficulties faced by self-employed and small business owners. Mayor Park conducted this field visit to directly understand the situation and listen to the voices of the merchants.

On that day, Mayor Park sequentially visited neighborhood commercial districts including ▲Namyeong-dong Food Alley ▲Quynon Street ▲Haebangchon ▲Sunheon Hwang Guibi-gil ▲Yongmaru-gil to hear merchants' opinions and experience the sites firsthand.

A merchant in Haebangchon said, "The year-end is usually a peak season for business, but due to this situation, small business owners and self-employed people are suffering great economic damage," adding, "I hope the situation stabilizes quickly and the frozen economy recovers."

The district plans to implement measures to stabilize the livelihood economy and prices for small business owners and self-employed people, including ▲rapid support for small and medium enterprise development funds ▲early issuance of Yongsan Love Gift Certificates ▲issuance of Itaewon Commercial District Recovery Gift Certificates ▲plans to revitalize consumption in traditional markets ▲focused crackdowns on price stability and illegal/fraudulent activities.

Mayor Park Hee-young said, "Since COVID-19 and the October 29 disaster, small and medium-sized enterprises, small business owners, and self-employed people have experienced a prolonged economic downturn, and it is very unfortunate that this situation has caused even greater damage," adding, "We will do our best at the district office level to communicate with merchants and prepare support measures."

Kim Kyung-ho, the head of Gwangjin District Office, is visiting the market to prepare traditional Lunar New Year offerings.

On the 16th, Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin District, visited Junggok Jeil Market and Myeongok Market to do some shopping.

Mayor Kim visited traditional markets in the area to greet merchants and encourage them while touring markets holding Lunar New Year customer appreciation events in celebration of the holiday.

Mayor Kim listened attentively to merchants' stories while shopping for items needed for the Lunar New Year table, such as rice cakes, fruits, and jeon (Korean pancakes).

Gwangjin District is currently holding the ‘2025 Lunar New Year Prize Giveaway Event’ at eight traditional markets.

This event was organized to ease the shopping burden on residents during the high inflation era and to increase the use of traditional markets. From the 15th to the 27th, the eight traditional markets in the area?Junggok Jeil, Norunsan, Jayang Traditional, Sinseong, Jayang Hangang, Hwayang Jeil, Yeongdonggyo, and Myeongok?will captivate customers with various prizes.

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin District, said, “I hope this event will provide practical help to traditional markets and consumers,” adding, “Please enjoy a joyful Lunar New Year by shopping affordably and receiving prizes at the warm and friendly traditional markets.”

Ryu Kyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, visited a traditional market to do some shopping.

Ryu Kyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang District, is visiting various holiday event sites held at traditional markets in celebration of the Lunar New Year.

The Jungnang District traditional market events are being held from January 14 to 30, designed to provide practical support to traditional markets struggling with a prolonged economic downturn and to reduce residents’ shopping burdens during the holiday.

The events are simultaneously held at seven traditional markets?▲Jangmi Jeil Market ▲Myeonmok Market ▲Woorim Market ▲Dongwon Traditional General Market ▲Sagajeong Market ▲Dongwon Traditional Market Shopping District ▲Jungnang Dongbu Market?and eight alley-type shopping districts?▲Taeneung Alley Shopping District ▲Sangbong Food Alley Shopping District ▲Sagajeong 51-gil Alley Shopping District ▲Jangmi Flower Light Street Alley Shopping District ▲Mukdong Goblin Market Alley Shopping District ▲Bongwoo Market Alley Shopping District ▲Sinnae Gu-gil Alley Shopping District ▲Gyeomjae Hanshin-gil Alley Shopping District.

Each market offers various products including ritual items and holiday food ingredients at discounted prices, with Onnuri Gift Certificates and prize giveaways also prepared.

At Jangmi Jeil Market, Woorim Market, Dongwon Traditional General Market, Sagajeong Market, Jungnang Dongbu Market, Taeneung Alley Shopping District, Bongwoo Market Alley Shopping District, and Sinnae Gu-gil Alley Shopping District, customers who purchase over 30,000 KRW will receive Onnuri Gift Certificates worth 5,000 KRW. Additionally, at Jangmi Jeil Market, Taeneung Alley Shopping District, and Jangmi Flower Light Street Alley Shopping District, customers who spend over 10,000 KRW will receive free gifts.

At Myeonmok Market, Dongwon Traditional Market Shopping District, Jungnang Dongbu Market, Sinnae Gu-gil Alley Shopping District, and Mukdong Goblin Market Alley Shopping District, customers who spend over 50,000 KRW will receive Onnuri Gift Certificates worth 10,000 KRW, and at Sangbong Food Alley Shopping District, customers who spend over 50,000 KRW will receive 5,000 KRW gift certificates. At Gyeomjae Hanshin-gil Alley Shopping District, customers who spend over 20,000 KRW will receive 5,000 KRW gift certificates on a first-come, first-served basis.

At Sagajeong 51-gil Alley Shopping District, customers will receive a 10,000 KRW gift certificate for purchases over 30,000 KRW, a 5,000 KRW gift certificate for purchases over 20,000 KRW, and free gifts for purchases over 10,000 KRW.

In addition to discounts and giveaways, the district completed safety inspections of electrical leakage and gas facilities at seven traditional markets and eight alley-type shopping districts in the area from the 2nd to the 9th to ensure residents can safely use the markets.

Ryu Kyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang District, said, “Since the Lunar New Year holiday is long this year, I hope residents have a richer and warmer time,” adding, “Please purchase high-quality products at traditional markets and share the warmth of the holiday with merchants for a happy Lunar New Year.”