Suncheon City Council Should Not Hinder Administration Using Small Business Measures as an Excuse or Represent Specific Group Interests

City council operation ignoring parliamentarism is unacceptable... Consent proposal must be referred to standing committee

[Suncheon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] The “private consignment consent proposal” for the operation of Suncheonman Garden Market, which some members of the Suncheon City Council (Chairman Heo Yu-in) have been blocking, has been revealed as a baseless fiction hiding a politically charged background under the pretext of preparing a “win-win measure for small business owners,” all while National Assembly member So Byeong-cheol remains silent.

Despite media reports stating that So said, “A florist friend of mine said ‘this is So’s intention,’ and we must oppose the Garden Market ordinance,” and that he even shouted at city council members, he has remained silent to date.

While the city council is delaying the “private consignment consent proposal” under the pretext of win-win measures for small business owners, Suncheon City has actually prepared and presented measures for florists who could be adversely affected by the operation of Suncheonman Garden Market.

The city decided not to allow retail sales of items overlapping with flower shops in order to protect the alleyway commercial district of small florist businesses.

On September 24, through a group meeting with Vice Mayor Lim Chae-young, the city responded, “As the largest shareholder of Suncheonman Garden Market Co., Ltd., Suncheon City will exercise its rights as the largest shareholder by listening to the opinions of small business owners when there are agenda items related to retail sales at board meetings and general shareholder meetings,” promising to meet the demands of small business owners.

Some have pointed out that the city council, fully aware of this situation, blocking the private consignment consent proposal under the pretext of small business owner measures is a tactic to conceal a background aimed at helping a specific group.

The group claiming to represent small florist business owners and leading sit-ins in front of the Suncheon Mayor’s Office and the Democratic Party local committee, the “Suncheon Flower Culture Development Council,” requested in June that Suncheon City support 800 pyeong (approximately 2,645 square meters) for a garden plant and material sales site and register as cultural sellers for tourists and citizens.

In other words, they proposed the demand to operate 800 pyeong of Suncheonman Garden Market as a win-win plan.

They also demanded the formation of a flower shop complex and subsidies from Suncheon City as a measure to prevent flower shops in the buffer green zone from damaging the cityscape.

Although all facilities within the buffer green zone, which is an urban planning facility, should rightfully be demolished, they demanded the formation of a complex and subsidies to legalize these facilities, claiming it as a measure for small business owners.

Suncheon City Council member A said, “Illegal facilities in the buffer green zone should be demolished as a principle,” adding, “The problem is that the chairman is ignoring council procedures by not referring the consent proposal to the standing committee.”

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the “Suncheon Flower Culture Development Council” requested Suncheon City to include in the articles of incorporation of Suncheonman Garden Market Co., Ltd. a statement that “plants and materials handled by flower shops will not be sold at retail,” which has been interpreted as proof that the opinions and consultations of small business owners have effectively been completed.

Attention is focused on how long the Suncheon City Council can continue to hold back city administration for the sake of a specific group that wants to participate as a wholesale company in Suncheonman Garden Market and is requesting the allocation of 800 pyeong of space.

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