Seoul City Prepares Support Measures for Itaewon Commercial District Recovery

Memorial and Comfort Cultural Events from March
Support for Commercial Area Revitalization from April

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 7th that it will establish and implement the ‘Itaewon Area Daily Recovery Measures’ to revitalize the Itaewon area, which is still struggling economically and psychologically with slow commercial recovery even four months after the 10.29 tragedy.

So far, Seoul has supported the revitalization of the Itaewon area by providing low-interest (2%) loans totaling 6.1 billion KRW (205 cases) for Itaewon commercial recovery funds last year, and a special grant of 7 billion KRW for issuing Itaewon commercial recovery gift certificates. Since January, disaster small business funds (small business promotion funds) have been provided, but as the commercial stagnation continues, these new measures have been prepared to support the daily recovery and commercial recovery of the Itaewon area.

Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The city held three meetings from February with the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone Association and the Itaewon Merchants Friendship Association, and actively reflected merchants’ suggestions such as support for the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone Association, development of events and tourist courses for visits to Itaewon in the measures.

First, focusing on healing wounds through remembrance and consolation, cultural events for remembrance and consolation will be promoted to deliver messages of hope to Itaewon merchants·residents, and bereaved families, naturally encouraging citizens to visit the Itaewon area.

In addition, a thank-you companion plant sharing event for citizens using the Itaewon commercial district will be held in conjunction with the remembrance and consolation performances·events. The Seoul Regional Headquarters of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation will provide companion plants in kind, and Seoul City and Nonghyup will jointly promote this. Along with this, regular communication and cooperation meetings with the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone Association will be institutionalized to continuously collect field opinions and prepare support measures that merchants can feel, and promotional marketing will be supported when various events hosted by the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone Association are held.

Furthermore, reflecting the suggestions made by the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone Association, the city will provide early payment of the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone revitalization subsidy (up to 200 million KRW) to support events and programs for revitalizing the special zone. Additionally, Itaewon Tourism Special Zone revitalization strategy consulting will be promoted to establish a sustainable long-term revitalization strategy for the special zone.

Measures to revitalize the commercial district include ▲ expanding the scale of Itaewon commercial recovery gift certificates ▲ special promotions for users of the Yongsan-gu public delivery app ▲ ‘Table Order for Small Food Service Businesses’ project ▲ ‘Our Neighborhood Store Artterior Support’ project.

By holding tourism festivals and events and developing tour programs, the city plans to expand visits by citizens and tourists to the Itaewon area, restoring its previous vitality as a tourism special zone and promoting consumption within the area.

Seoul has formed the ‘Itaewon Daily Recovery Support TF’ led by the First Deputy Mayor of Administration, with participation from related departments such as the Tourism and Sports Bureau, Labor, Fairness and Coexistence Policy Officer, and the Culture Headquarters, to communicate with merchants and bereaved families and regularly check the commercial recovery status, supporting the Itaewon area to quickly restore daily life.

Kim Eui-seung, First Deputy Mayor of Administration of Seoul, said, “It is very regrettable that the Itaewon area’s commercial district has still not recovered even four months after the tragedy,” and added, “We will spare no effort in providing comprehensive support so that the Itaewon area can overcome its pain quickly, regain vitality like the energy of a new spring, and become a popular destination for citizens and domestic and international tourists.”

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