Opening of Yeongdeungpo Fruit and Vegetable Market Customer Lounge

<기사제목>New Four-Story Community Space Reflecting Local Characteristics Opens on the 16th as a Shelter for Market Vendors, Residents, and Visitors

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Chae Hyun-il) held an opening ceremony on the 16th for the Yeongdeungpo Cheonggwa Market Customer Rest Area, which was established to provide visitors to Yeongdeungpo Cheonggwa Market a place to take a short break and to support the smooth operation of merchants in the market.

The opening ceremony was attended by about 40 people, including Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor Chae Hyun-il, district council members, merchants, and local residents. They commemorated the completion of the customer rest area and reaffirmed their commitment to revitalizing traditional markets in the region, starting with Yeongdeungpo Cheonggwa Market.

The Yeongdeungpo Cheonggwa Market Customer Rest Area began with the selection for the facility modernization project by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in 2017, followed by the purchase of the site at 157 Dangsan-dong 1-ga in 2018, construction commencement in July last year, and finally completion in March this year.

In April, a management consignment contract was signed between the Yeongdeungpo Cheonggwa Market Merchants Association and the customer rest area for overall facility operation and management.

Opened in 1984, Yeongdeungpo Cheonggwa Market has established itself as a representative fruit and vegetable market in Yeongdeungpo. The market is surrounded by dense residential areas, and nearby large shopping centers such as Times Square and Shinsegae Department Store make it a location with high foot traffic in the region.

Considering these geographical characteristics, the district explained that a four-story customer rest area was created, including convenience facilities and community spaces not only for market visitors but also for local residents.

Additionally, the district has continuously communicated with the merchants' association and local residents to reflect their suggestions and opinions for facility use, emphasizing that this achievement was made through dialogue and compromise.

The total floor area of the customer rest area is 195.35㎡, with a total project cost of 1.717 billion KRW.

The detailed uses by floor are as follows: ▲1st floor serves as a customer rest area providing a comfortable and pleasant resting space for both merchants and customers ▲2nd floor houses the merchants' association office for market management and guidance ▲3rd floor is an education and meeting space for merchants and nearby residents ▲4th floor is designed as a rooftop garden, an open space for both visitors and merchants to enjoy together.

Also, during the opening ceremony, a book donation event by the Korea Electric Power Corporation Nam Seoul Headquarters was held. About 100 books donated by KEPCO are placed in the first-floor lounge area, expected to serve as a community space where residents can read and communicate.

A merchant who attended the opening ceremony expressed, “I have long requested the establishment of convenience spaces for market merchants, and I am proud and happy that a communication space has been created where not only merchants but also customers and local residents can share and use together.”

Furthermore, the district completed the removal of temporary structures and illegal buildings on the roads within Yeongdeungpo Cheonggwa Market in June and has been promoting the ‘Pedestrian-Friendly Street Creation Project’ construction since July 1. In the future, the district plans to continuously pursue environmental improvements and facility modernization projects for merchants and local residents, including the maintenance of sidewalks and roads and the installation of arcades in the Cheonggwa Market area.

Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor Chae Hyun-il stated, “The Yeongdeungpo Cheonggwa Market Customer Rest Area is the result of continuous communication and efforts among local residents, merchants, and the district to revitalize traditional markets,” adding, “I hope that the opening of the customer rest area will contribute to the revitalization of the local economy as a landmark that attracts people.”

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