Seongdong-gu Launches '1 District-1 Market' Sister Market Partnership to Revitalize Traditional Markets

Designating 'Traditional Market Day' at least once a month, employees lead in purchasing goods and listen to difficulties... 5 billion KRW additional issuance of Seongdong Love Gift Certificates and expansion of Zero Pay加盟店

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Won-oh) has initiated a ‘One Bureau-One Market Sisterhood Agreement’ to revitalize traditional markets that have been depressed due to COVID-19.

The district has signed sisterhood agreements between each bureau and one traditional market in the area, operating a ‘Traditional Market Day’ at least once a month. Employees voluntarily visit the markets to purchase goods and listen to merchants’ difficulties, working together to find improvement measures.

Starting on the 6th with the signing of the sisterhood agreement between the Planning and Finance Bureau and Yongdap Market at the merchants’ association office in Yongdap Market, the Administrative Management Bureau followed with Majang Livestock Market, and the Welfare Bureau with Geumnam Market. In total, nine bureaus are partnering with local traditional markets and shopping districts to revitalize traditional markets.

Kim Byung-ok, president of the Yongdap Shopping District Merchants’ Association, said, “Due to the sales decline caused by COVID-19, merchants are facing great difficulties, and local residents’ anxiety has increased. However, with the district office actively working for the market, we have hope that the market atmosphere will soon return to what it was before.”

Additionally, the district is implementing measures to revive the frozen local economy by expanding Zero Pay affiliated stores and issuing an additional 5 billion KRW worth of Seongdong Love Gift Certificates.

With the expected expansion of Seongdong Love Gift Certificate and Zero Pay usage due to the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s emergency disaster relief payments, the district issued an additional 2 billion KRW worth of Seongdong Love Gift Certificates in April as the first issuance, and plans to issue 3 billion KRW more by the end of June as the second issuance.

From April 16 to May 22, the district placed guides at each community service center to assist residents with installing the Seongdong Love Gift Certificate app when applying for emergency disaster relief funds, helping to improve convenience for residents.

The district plans to identify places with high frequency and amounts of Zero Pay usage and expand affiliated stores to similar business types.

Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “Due to COVID-19, consumer sentiment has contracted, causing significant damage to merchants. Seongdong-gu employees will actively work to overcome these difficulties together, and I hope all merchants will not lose hope and courage.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.