Ministry of SMEs selects 16 'Dongne Sangkwon Baljeonso' to solve neighborhood commercial district issues

"The Starting Point for Revitalizing the Local Economy"

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 14th that it has newly selected 16 locations for the Neighborhood Commercial District Development Center project.

The selected commercial districts will plan and implement sustainable development strategies. For the strategy formulation type, they will communicate with local small business owners and residents to establish development strategies to solve neighborhood commercial district issues. The network type will establish the identity of the commercial district through organization within the district and lay the foundation for future designation as alley-type shopping streets and other commercial district developments.

The selected locations by type are as follows. For the strategy formulation type: ▲Seodaemun-gu, Seoul ▲Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon ▲Chuncheon-si, Gangwon ▲Yeongju-si, Gyeongbuk ▲Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongbuk ▲Saha-gu, Busan ▲Goseong-gun, Gyeongnam ▲Gunsan-si, Jeonbuk ▲Seogwipo-si, Jeju, totaling 9 places. For the network type: ▲Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi ▲Gangneung-si, Gangwon ▲Dong-gu, Daegu ▲Gumi-si, Gyeongbuk ▲Namhae-gun, Gyeongnam ▲Dong-gu, Gwangju ▲Gangjin-gun, Jeonnam, totaling 7 places.

Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon, which has declined due to mine closures and the shutdown of the country's largest thermal power plant, will create the Deokpo-ri Times Square in the old downtown area of Yeongwol's Deokpo-ri together with the commercial district planner 'Hwiyeong Co., Ltd.' They plan to execute a strategy to build a creative and sustainable tourism-type commercial district by planning places of memories and nostalgia in Yeongwol, operating a time travel festival (Newtro-Retro), and running a flea market using open warehouses.

Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, which was a mecca where new culture and content emerged, will work to regain and restore the 'Shinchon-ness' of Shinchon and the area in front of Ewha Womans University. Together with the Seoul-based commercial district planner 'Moravian & Co., Ltd.', they will promote the K-STREET promotion centered on local heritage such as popular culture and long-established stores, and implement strategies to solve rent and vacancy issues.

Additionally, Dong-gu, Gwangju, will be reborn as the 'Dongmyeong-dong Brand Town' by strengthening merchants' capabilities through concretizing the alley leader 'Dongmyeong Crew,' a collaboration model between young entrepreneurs and residents in the Dongmyeong commercial district. Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi, plans to attract tourists visiting ecological parks to the commercial district by developing 'Omakssal-i Makgeolli' and freshwater shrimp side dishes, strengthening the cooperative community among local farmers, fishermen, and merchants through branding, and establishing product distribution networks.

Lee Dae-geon, Director of Small Business Policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, "As the importance of alley commercial districts as a starting point for revitalizing the local economy is increasing, we will actively support the operation of the Neighborhood Commercial District Development Center to lead to good results."