Gumi-si Designated as Autonomous Commercial Zone through Culture... Expected Revitalization of Original Downtown Commercial Area

Up to 10 Billion KRW in Government Support Over Five Years
A New Signal for the Revitalization of Gumi's Old Downtown

Gumi City in Gyeongbuk has designated 'Munhwaro' as a self-regulated commercial district, a key project to revive the old downtown commercial area. According to the city, this designation will enable support for commercial revitalization worth up to 10 billion KRW over five years, the city announced on the 25th.

Munhwaro, selected as a self-regulated commercial district through consultations with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and Gyeongsangbuk-do to foster it as a hub for Gumi's commercial recovery, is a general commercial area covering 116,324㎡ with 390 stores densely located.

With this designation, local stores will be able to register as Onnuri gift certificate affiliated stores and receive various support measures such as special provisions for installing auxiliary parking lots, commercial lease contract exceptions, and modernization of commercial infrastructure.

To improve the environment, strengthen branding, and maximize commercial competitiveness, the focus will be on cultural environment improvement, development of regionally specialized brands, and expansion of experiential and stay-type content.

To this end, the city plans to actively promote infrastructure improvements such as creating hub spaces, installing landscape lighting, and renovating signboards and walkways, along with developing specialized products, strengthening brand marketing, and operating consumption promotion programs.

To commemorate the designation of the self-regulated commercial district and to drive consumption promotion events and local commercial revitalization in March, the city will hold an event throughout March where customers who spend over 30,000 KRW at stores within Munhwaro will receive a 2,000 KRW Gumi Love Gift Certificate.

To strengthen the competitiveness of the old downtown, various urban development projects are underway, including installing a U-turn zone in front of Gumi Station, undergrounding power lines on Munhwaro, opening Wonpyeong urban planning roads, creating a public parking lot at Gaksan Intersection, operating a youth and small business mutual growth center, and establishing a youth hub space at Gumi Station.

Additionally, a school complex facility project is in progress on the site of Gumi Elementary School, which includes an underground parking lot with 280 spaces and a two-story cultural complex facility above ground.

Kim Jang-ho, mayor of Gumi City, emphasized, “The designation as a self-regulated commercial district will bring more vitality to the local commercial area,” adding, “Ahead of the opening of the Daegyeong Line, we will transform the old downtown into a new economic and cultural center.”