Bucheon City in Gyeonggi Province is intensifying its promotional efforts based on relaxed requirements to expand the designation of "alley-type shopping districts," which receive support benefits equivalent to those provided to traditional markets and shopping districts.
Last year, the city amended the "Ordinance on the Promotion of Traditional Markets and Shopping Districts" to foster local commercial areas and revitalize the regional economy, easing the criteria for the designation of alley-type shopping districts. The requirement was changed from "at least 30 stores within 2,000㎡" to "at least 20 stores within 2,000㎡ (at least 25 stores in commercial zones)." As a result, if the current number of stores meets the requirement and more than 50% of merchants agree, an application for alley-type shopping district designation can be submitted.
Additionally, the city has significantly simplified the required documentation, which had previously been a major obstacle during the application stage. The area calculation standard was also changed from land area to store area, thereby lowering the density requirement.
Once designated as an alley-type shopping district, applicants become eligible to register as Onnuri Gift Certificate merchants, and can apply for various national and provincial support programs, including the market management package project-which covers joint and online marketing, merchant training, management consulting, and support for merchant association managers-as well as consumer promotion payback events.
The city recently held an information session for 14 local commercial areas to explain the requirements and benefits of alley-type shopping district designation. Moving forward, Bucheon plans to identify areas with development potential and hold on-site information sessions upon merchant association request, actively encouraging applications for designation.
A Bucheon City official stated, "We plan to continuously inform local merchants about the necessity and benefits of alley-type shopping district designation," adding, "We will systematically support these districts through close cooperation with merchant associations."
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