Minister Hansung Sook Visits Daejeon Traditional Market and Alleyway Shopping District in First Official Move After Taking Office

"Real work starts in the field... Full responsibility until the end"
Pledge to boost consumption and strengthen the social safety net

On July 24, Hansung Sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups, began her first official schedule after taking office by visiting a traditional market and alleyway shopping district in Daejeon, demonstrating her commitment to engaging with small business owners on the ground.

On this day, Minister Han visited the Eungubiseoro Alleyway Shopping District in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, as well as the Jungang Market Revitalization Zone in Dong-gu, where she met with small business owners and expressed her determination to make the promotion of consumption and support for recovery in traditional markets the top priority of the Ministry's policies.

Hansung Sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups, is speaking at the inauguration ceremony held on the 24th at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in the Government Sejong Complex. Ministry of SMEs and Startups

Meeting with the merchants' association on site, Minister Han stated, "Traditional markets and alleyway shopping districts are the sites where small business owners and the self-employed form the main foundation of the local economy. Therefore, the government is not only promoting short-term consumption but also establishing institutional foundations to help these businesses recover after crises. Creating an environment where merchants can work with peace of mind is the most important basis for restoring livelihoods."

She continued, "The Jungang Market Revitalization Zone, which is one of Daejeon's representative traditional markets and serves as a key hub of the local commercial district, and the Eungubiseoro Alleyway Shopping District in Yuseong-gu, which has firmly established itself as a core area, are places where the effects of stimulating consumption can be clearly seen. The Ministry will prepare various measures to stimulate consumption and revitalize the market, while also building a social safety net that allows merchants to do business with confidence, thereby creating a virtuous cycle of recovery and growth."

Lee Chunghwan, President of the National Merchants Association, who accompanied the schedule that day, said, "The fact that the Minister visited traditional markets and local commercial districts as her very first action after taking office is a great comfort to merchants and has increased our trust in the government. We hope that the Ministry of SMEs and Startups will serve as a strong support so that traditional markets and commercial districts nationwide can regain their vibrancy and become spaces where the next generation can enter."

In response, Minister Han said, "I chose to visit traditional markets first because I believe real work begins in the field. As you mentioned, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups will take full responsibility to ensure that various policies are firmly established on the ground. We will also communicate closely with the National Merchants Association to ensure that the field and policy move forward together."

Minister Han stated, "What the government must do is start from the field and create real change. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups will take the lead in sharing the difficulties of small business owners, while also being a partner in creating opportunities, by alleviating management and financial burdens and preparing multifaceted support measures to expand sales and stimulate consumption."

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