Hyundai Motor Group Grand Opens 'Gangneung Seobu Market'... "Renovated as a Regional Revitalization Project"

Hwang In-sik, Secretary General of the Community Chest of Korea (far left), Yang Jin-mo, Vice President of Hyundai Motor Group (second from left), Gong Young-woon, President of Hyundai Motor Group (fifth from left), Kwon Seong-dong, Member of the National Assembly (fourth from right), Kim Jong-wook, Deputy Mayor of Gangneung City (third from right), and other officials are posing for a commemorative photo at the grand opening ceremony of Gangneung Seobu Market. Photo by Hyundai Motor Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] Hyundai Motor Group's regional revitalization project, carried out over approximately three years in partnership with Gangneung City to revitalize the local commercial district, has borne fruit.

On the 28th, Hyundai Motor Group held the ‘Gangneung Seobu Market Grand Opening Ceremony’ at Gangneung Seobu Market, attended by key figures including National Assembly member Kwon Seong-dong, Gangneung Deputy Mayor Kim Jong-wook, Hyundai Motor Group President Gong Young-woon, Hyundai Motor Group Vice President Yang Jin-mo, and Hwang In-sik, Secretary General of the Community Chest of Korea.

In the first half of 2020, Hyundai Motor Group selected Gangneung Seobu Market as the third target site for its ‘regional revitalization projects,’ following Changsin-dong Sewing Alley in Jongno-gu, Seoul (2014) and Cheongchun Balsan Village in Gwangju (2015). Collaborating with local governments, the group renovated the market’s interior and exterior and created a complex cultural space.

Notably, through this project, Gangneung Seobu Market transformed not only by improving store environments and other external changes but also into a platform where market merchants and young entrepreneurs engage in various activities centered on local culture and collaborate with each other.

Specifically, Hyundai Motor Group established the ‘CCC (CultureConnect City) Lounge’ on the market’s second floor, providing a space where local young small business owners can promote new ventures, exhibit products, and sell goods.

At the CCC Lounge, young entrepreneurs and creators are supported with various communication programs to collaborate with existing market merchants, discover new cultural content, and develop new business items.

Additionally, the CCC Lounge offers visitors a variety of attractions, food, and entertainment, while hosting the monthly complex cultural festival ‘CCC Festa’ to further promote the revitalization of Gangneung Seobu Market. Approximately 5,000 visitors attended during the seven events held this year.

To celebrate the grand opening, the ‘CCC Festa’ will be held over two days from the 28th to the 29th, featuring congratulatory performances by popular artists such as Ahn Ye-eun, Kim Jung-yeon, and Kim Yeon-ji, experiential events, vehicle exhibitions, and various other enjoyable activities.

Hyundai Motor Group has also made special efforts to minimize potential side effects arising during the regional revitalization process, given the diverse stakeholders involved in the market. A representative example is their support in facilitating a smooth signing of the ‘Win-Win Agreement to Prevent Gentrification’ between Gangneung City and store landlords.

A Hyundai Motor Group official stated, “From the beginning of the project, we approached the Gangneung Seobu Market merchants with sincerity and strived to create various programs that would genuinely help revitalize the market. We hope that the newly renovated Gangneung Seobu Market, nurtured by Hyundai Motor Group’s meticulous care, will continue to be a beloved space not only for merchants and local residents but also for tourists visiting Gangneung.”

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