Lee Hanyoung of Daejeon City Council: "Ad Hoc Management of Jungang-ro Underground Shopping Mall Leading to Collapse of Commercial District"

"Urgent Need for a Mid- to Long-Term Master Plan"
Strong Call for Effective Measures to Revitalize the Commercial District

Daejeon Metropolitan Council Chairman of the Steering Committee Hanyoung Lee

Concerns have been raised that the concentration of certain types of businesses and ad hoc management practices in the Daejeon Jungang-ro Underground Shopping Mall are leading to the collapse of the commercial district.

Lee Hanyoung, Chair of the Operations Committee of Daejeon Metropolitan Council (Seo-gu District 6, People Power Party), strongly urged the development of effective measures to revitalize the commercial district during the Administrative Affairs Audit of the Welfare and Environment Committee on November 13, stating, "The Jungang-ro Underground Shopping Mall is being neglected without overcoming its structural problems."

Assemblyman Lee pointed out, "The Jungang-ro Underground Shopping Mall has seen its competitiveness significantly weakened due to the long-standing fixation on uniform business structures centered on identical or similar types of businesses," and added, "The even bigger issue is the lack of systematic management and improvement efforts, despite the deepening stagnation of the commercial district."

He continued, "The case of some shops illegally operating 'shooting ranges,' which are prohibited businesses, is a clear example of the management and inspection system failing to function properly," and emphasized, "Such illegal business activities must be eradicated to maintain a healthy commercial order."

In addition, Assemblyman Lee identified the lack of a strategy to diversify business types and the absence of systematic management and operational standards as key issues, stating, "It is essential to move beyond the current piecemeal measures and establish a mid- to long-term 'Commercial District Revitalization Master Plan' based on expert analysis."

Finally, Assemblyman Lee stated, "The Jungang-ro Underground Shopping Mall has long served as a central space in citizens' daily lives," and added, "In order to reorganize it into a vibrant commercial district that citizens will return to, the Daejeon city government must promptly prepare effective improvement measures."