Selected Site for 'Saenghwal Sangwon Development Project' in Nangok-dong, Gwanak-gu

Passing the pilot phase 'Foundation Project' to final selection, securing a 3-year budget of 3.3 billion KRW... Providing services desired by residents · Inducing local consumption · Revitalizing neighborhood markets

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) announced that it has been finally selected for Seoul City's 'Neighborhood Commercial Area Revitalization Project' contest.

This project is promoted to revitalize neighborhood alley commercial areas that are gradually disappearing due to online shopping and large supermarkets.

From December last year to June this year, a total of eight candidate sites were selected, and after conducting a pilot phase of the neighborhood commercial area foundation project, five sites including Nangok-dong in Gwanak-gu (around Nangok-ro 24-gil and 26-gil) were finally selected based on operational performance, securing a total budget of 3.3 billion KRW until 2022.

The district plans to utilize the budget to carry out various projects such as ▲Community Store ▲Handmade Shop ▲Together Shop ▲Innovative Merchant School ▲Online Community Operation to create hub spaces and strengthen the capabilities of merchants to act as agents in building the local community.

Also, the steering committee (14 members) formed through the foundation project consists of various stakeholders and genders including residents, merchants, and local organizations, and based on demand surveys conducted through direct fieldwork, 14 sites such as community stores, handmade shops, and trusted shops were established.

Two community stores providing essential living services to residents were equipped with unmanned parcel lockers and self-packaging stations for parcel reception services catering to single-person households.

Additionally, a planning team centered on local housewives selected two places, ‘Nangoksanjang’ and ‘Bareun Tteokjip’, as our neighborhood’s favorite restaurants called ‘Handmade Shops’, regularly inspecting the origin of ingredients and hygiene status to ensure residents can use them with confidence through thorough management.

In preparation for the spread of COVID-19, ten trusted shops where residents can use services with peace of mind were also selected through strict hygiene management and quarantine. Trusted shops are supported with quarantine and hygiene supplies, and considering the increase in takeout orders due to COVID-19, packaging containers and other items are provided.

Furthermore, together with local merchants, active promotional activities such as ▲regular COVID-19 response quarantine activities ▲production of neighborhood shop maps ▲promotion campaigns ▲installation of electronic banners are being conducted to revitalize the depressed Nangok-dong area.

As a result of such systematic and effective foundation projects, the neighborhood commercial area revitalization project was finally selected, receiving administrative and financial support and embarking on a long-term commercial area project.

Mayor Park Junhee said, “I hope this project becomes a ray of hope for alley commercial areas that are facing many difficulties due to COVID-19,” and added, “We will do our best to discover second and third neighborhood commercial areas that can revive the local economy, which is the biggest pledge of the 7th elected administration.”

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