The Hyundai Gwangju Breaks Ground... Kang Gijeong: "From a Boring City to an Exciting City"

The Hyundai Gwangju Breaks Ground with a 1.2 Trillion Won Investment
Large-Scale Complex Cultural Facility of 272,000 Square Meters Moves Forward
Permits Completed in 11 Months; Traffic and Other Conditions Finalized
"Expanding Urban User Base to Transform Gwangju into a Destination City"

"Gwangju, once known as a boring city, will become an exciting city."

On November 20, Kang Gijeong, Mayor of Gwangju, emphasized the city's strategic transformation with this statement at the groundbreaking ceremony for The Hyundai Gwangju complex shopping mall. Addressing ongoing debates about the survival of traditional markets and small business owners, he said, "The difficulties faced by small business owners are not due to the complex shopping mall, but rather because of a lack of consumer population." He added, "The only way to revitalize Gwangju's commercial district is to infinitely increase the number of people using the city," explaining that "today's event comes after numerous discussions and debates with merchants and civic groups."

Citizens and attendees gathered at the groundbreaking ceremony for The Hyundai Gwangju are watching the official event held on the 20th at the planned construction site in Imdong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Song Bohyun

Approximately 400 people attended the event, including Jeong Jiyeong, President of Hyundai Department Store, as well as city, district, and council officials, merchants, and citizens. Hyundai Department Store Group announced that it would invest over 1.2 trillion won in The Hyundai Gwangju, building it at about 1.4 times the scale of The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido. The design will be handled by the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, which was responsible for the Asia Culture Center, along with Samoo Architects & Engineers. Construction will be carried out by a consortium of Jungheung Construction, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, and Woomee Construction.

On the afternoon of the 20th, the groundbreaking ceremony for 'The Hyundai Gwangju' is taking place at the complex shopping mall site in Imdong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Yonhap News.

The Hyundai Gwangju will be developed as a complex cultural space with a total floor area of 272,955 square meters, spanning from six basement levels to eight floors above ground. Hyundai Department Store Group aims to complete construction by the end of 2027 and open in the first half of 2028.

Jeong Jiyeong, President of Hyundai Department Store, stated, "The Hyundai Gwangju is the starting point for designing Gwangju's new landscape and future together." He highlighted the world-class architectural design, indoor botanical garden landscaping, and a local market inspired by traditional markets, explaining, "Not only visitors from Seoul and the metropolitan area, but also international tourists will be able to experience Gwangju's cultural and artistic energy." He added, "We will do our utmost to ensure the successful completion of the project so that it becomes a new source of pride for Gwangju citizens."

The Gwangju city government formed the 'Complex Shopping Mall New Vitality Administrative Council' to establish a one-stop support system for the project. The city shortened the usual permit process from over 19 months to 11 months, expediting it by eight months. The traffic impact assessment was conditionally approved last June after two rounds of supplementation. The conditions included the donation of access roads, coordination of the timing for bridge installation, and improvements to vehicle entry and exit management.

Kang Gijeong, Mayor of Gwangju, is delivering a congratulatory speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for The Hyundai Gwangju construction on the 20th. Photo by Song Bohyun

Mayor Kang, who stated that the entire permit process was conducted based on the principles of speed, transparency, and fairness, said, "Gwangju must transform from a city people leave to a city where people stay and want to visit." He declared, "Starting today, we will usher in an era where 30 million people use the city annually." He also mentioned negotiations for the relocation of the military airport, normalization of the Kumho Tire factory, and future investment discussions with Samsung Electronics, adding, "Gwangju must evolve from a city of democracy to a city of economic and cultural growth."

The Gwangju city government plans to coordinate follow-up measures, including strategies for coexistence with traditional markets and small business owners, traffic congestion management, and expanding local employment. The local community is closely watching how the opening of the large complex shopping mall will affect the structure of Gwangju's commercial district and population flows.

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