You Can Buy Bungeoppang and Eomuk in Myeongdong and Pay by Card

Nation's First, Card Payment Available at Myeongdong Street Vendors
Business Registration and Card Terminal Installation by March, Practical Consultation with Jungbu Tax Office Completed
Continuous Monitoring of Prices for 10 Popular Menu Items
Price Adjustments to Be Gradually Raised in Consultation with District Office, Hygiene Inspections Strengthened

From now on, street vendors in Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Kim Gil-seong) will be able to accept card payments.

This is the first attempt nationwide by Jung-gu, reflecting the flow of change and the needs of tourists, marking the first step toward positively transforming "Bright Neighborhood, Myeongdong."

Recently designated as a free outdoor advertising zone, Myeongdong is bustling again with a surge in sales due to the return of foreign tourists. Riding this momentum, merchants who aim to regain the reputation and trust of "Korea's No. 1 Tourist Destination" are voluntarily reflecting their will on the ground.

The merchants expressed a "heavy sense of responsibility" regarding recent controversies such as overcharging, demands for cash payments, and unfriendliness, and have been contemplating self-help measures for Myeongdong's renewal.

As a result, the biggest change will be the "business registration and installation of card terminals." To this end, Jung-gu Office completed practical consultations with the Jungbu Tax Office last November, and some street vendors have already completed business registration. Card terminals will be installed by March to allow tourists to use various payment methods beyond cash. It is expected that the introduction of card terminals will not only make payment methods more convenient but also lead to increased sales for street vendors as a secondary effect.

To eradicate overcharging, sales prices will also be voluntarily adjusted. For 10 popular menu items such as Bungeoppang, fish cake, and grilled squid, monthly monitoring will be conducted internally, shared, and continuously checked. If price adjustments are unavoidable due to factors such as raw material price increases, prior consultation with the district will be required, and the district will guide merchants to gradually raise prices.

For some specialized street foods, the raw materials and manufacturing methods will be clearly specified to inform that the prices are reasonably set. This aims to gradually improve the perception that Myeongdong food is expensive by directly informing tourists that the prices are not arbitrarily high.

Merchants’ hygiene uniforms will also be standardized to compensate for the vulnerability to hygiene issues due to the exposed nature of the stores. Wearing unified uniforms such as hygiene caps, masks, and gloves will enhance the perception of "trustworthy Myeongdong food" and also aim to improve the image of street vendors. To this end, the district plans to require merchants to regularly submit health certificates and strengthen hygiene inspections to carefully manage this.

A representative of the Myeongdong Welfare Association (Street Vendor Association) said, "We will actively implement the self-help measures prepared by merchants working together so that positive perceptions of Myeongdong street vendors can spread," adding, "Merchants will continue to make great efforts so that tourists can leave Myeongdong with only happy and enjoyable memories."

Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, stated, "The results reflecting the merchants’ deep concerns will be a signal announcing positive changes in the representative tourist destination Myeongdong," and added, "To make the City of Light Myeongdong shine even brighter and grow into a city for the world, we will combine the merchants’ self-purification efforts with the district’s efforts to create synergy."

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