Hongcheon County Designates 'Sinjangdaeri Autonomous Commercial Zone'... Merchant-Led Revitalization Begins

Hongcheon County Officially Designates "Sinjangdaeri Autonomous Commercial Zone"
A First Step Toward Building a Mutually Beneficial Economic Model in Sinjangdaeri

Hongcheon County in Gangwon Province announced on November 6 that it designated the "Sinjangdaeri Autonomous Commercial Zone" on November 3, 2025, in accordance with Article 15 of the Act on Mutual Growth and Revitalization of Local Commercial Districts (Local Commercial District Act).

Hongcheon County designated the "Sinjang-dae-ri Autonomous Commercial Zone" on the 3rd in accordance with Article 15 of the Act on Mutual Growth and Revitalization of Local Commercial Districts (Local Commercial District Act). Provided by Hongcheon County

Hongcheon County designated the "Sinjangdaeri Autonomous Commercial Zone" to revitalize the stagnant old downtown commercial district and is launching a full-scale commercial district revitalization project. This is the first time Hongcheon County has designated such an autonomous commercial zone, marking a meaningful first step toward restoring the local commercial district and establishing a self-sustaining economic foundation.

This designation is a required step following the selection of the county for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ Commercial District Revitalization Project in May. It aims to establish a merchant-driven foundation for autonomous commercial recovery and to create a sustainable local economic ecosystem.

The designated "Sinjangdaeri Autonomous Commercial Zone" covers approximately 450 meters (about 15,500 square meters) along 42 to 84 Sinjangdaero in Hongcheon-eup. This area qualifies as a stagnant commercial district, with over 50 percent commercial zoning and more than 100 stores.

This area met the requirements for designation as an autonomous commercial zone, as the number of businesses and sales have both declined over the past two years.

In 2024, Hongcheon County conducted a detailed survey of the commercial district around Sinjangdaeri through the "Neighborhood Commercial District Power Plant Support Project" and reviewed the potential for revitalization and the validity of the designation. In March 2025, the Hongcheon Sinjangdaeri Autonomous Commercial Zone Cooperative (led by Kim Kyungho) was established, with merchants, landlords, and landowners at its core. After securing the consent of at least two-thirds of merchants, landlords, and landowners within the zone, the official application for designation was submitted in October.

After the application, the county comprehensively reviewed the basic requirements and procedural and substantive appropriateness of the autonomous commercial zone, gathering local opinions through a public hearing. At the end of October, the designation process was completed with the approval of the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Local Commercial District Committee and consultation with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, followed by final approval from the province.

As a result, the Sinjangdaeri area has been officially designated as the first autonomous commercial zone in Hongcheon County.

Hongcheon County plans to fully implement the autonomous commercial district revitalization project starting in 2026.

This project will be merchant-led, centered on the Hongcheon Sinjangdaeri Autonomous Commercial Zone Cooperative, and will create a themed street and specialized spaces utilizing Hongcheon’s unique resource-beer-to establish a new image for the local commercial district.

Hongcheon County, Designated as the First 'Shinjangdari Autonomous Commercial Zone'

In addition, the county plans to enhance the overall competitiveness and vitality of the commercial district by promoting specialized marketing, publicity programs, and cultural events.

To this end, the county will receive the detailed implementation plan for 2026 from the cooperative by the end of November, consult with the Gangwon Regional Office of SMEs and Startups, and approve it in December. The county also plans to establish a professional personnel system by hiring a commercial district specialist to cooperate with the cooperative.

Shin Youngjae, Mayor of Hongcheon County, stated, "This designation of an autonomous commercial zone is not an administration-led project, but the first step toward commercial district innovation led by the merchants themselves. As this is the first autonomous commercial zone designated in Hongcheon County, we will build a mutually beneficial commercial district model in which merchants, landlords, and local residents participate together, creating a new turning point for revitalizing the local economy."

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