Gwangju Seo-gu Proclaims "Gwangju No. 1 Good Market and Good Street"

Declaration of a "Good Economic Ecosystem" at Yangdong Market
Revitalizing Local Businesses and Spreading a Culture of Giving

Gwangju Seo-gu District has officially begun establishing a model of a good economy based on sharing and solidarity, centering around the 100-year-old Yangdong Traditional Market.

Kim Ikang, head of Gwangju Seo-gu Office, is unveiling a commemorative sculpture for the Good Market together with attendees at the Good Market and Good Street Proclamation Ceremony held on the 10th in the Yangdong Traditional Market area of Seo-gu. Provided by Gwangju Seo-gu Office

On July 10, Seo-gu announced that it held the "Gwangju No. 1 Good Market and Good Street Proclamation Ceremony" at Yangdong Traditional Market, declaring the creation of a good economic ecosystem where the traditional market and the local community coexist and prosper together.

More than 100 people attended the event, including Seo-gu District Mayor Kim Ikang, Kim Byungjun, President of the Community Chest of Korea, Koo Jegil, President of the Gwangju branch, the Yangdong Traditional Market Merchants Association, and representatives of Yangdong Good Stores.

Yangdong Traditional Market is a historic site where, in May 1980, merchants shared rice balls with the citizen militia, embodying the Gwangju spirit of sharing and solidarity. Seo-gu plans to cultivate Yangdong Market as Gwangju's leading good market, building on this spirit of community.

At this proclamation ceremony, the market's famous "1969 Yangdong Tongdak Main Store" was registered as the 50,000th Good Store nationwide, adding further significance to the event. A commemorative sculpture for the Good Market was also erected at the market entrance, delivering a symbolic message to citizens and visitors.

The Good Store campaign is a nationwide sharing initiative in which participating stores donate a set amount each month to help neighbors in need. Currently, about 50,000 stores participate nationwide. In Gwangju Seo-gu, a total of 1,286 stores are registered as Good Stores, with 156 of them (13.4%) concentrated within Yangdong Traditional Market.

To commemorate the proclamation, Seo-gu issued exclusive "Good Coupons" for Yangdong Traditional Market. Paper coupons worth 100,000 won per person were distributed to 1,020 care recipients who have difficulty using mobile devices, allowing them to use the coupons at designated Good Stores within Yangdong Market. This initiative promotes both sharing and consumption simultaneously.

This policy, which considers the digitally marginalized, is an "inclusive consumption welfare" initiative that aims to revitalize local businesses and spread a culture of giving, achieving two goals at once.

Mayor Kim Ikang stated, "Yangdong Traditional Market is the true starting point of a good economy, where honest merchants and a warm community spirit are alive and well. Going forward, we will continue to expand a sustainable sharing ecosystem where traditional markets and local communities circulate and thrive together."

Through the Good Store and Good Coupon initiatives, Seo-gu is practicing sharing on a scale of 300 million won, distributing Good Coupons to a total of 3,000 people in two rounds, once in the first half and once in the second half of the year.

Currently, 35% of all Good Stores in Seo-gu are participating as Good Coupon merchants. This mutually beneficial welfare model has been recognized nationwide for its excellence. At last year's "Innovative Project Performance Sharing Conference," the Gwangju Community Chest of Korea presented Seo-gu's project, which won the grand prize among 17 cities and provinces across the country.