SEMSA Engages On-Site with Alley-Type Shopping Districts in Gwangju

Gwangju, Alley-Type Shopping District Policy Takes Root Rapidly
579 New Districts Designated in One Year in 2025

The Small Enterprise and Market Service (SEMSA) announced on March 4 that it had inspected traditional markets and alley-type shopping districts in Gwangju Metropolitan City and held the ‘Gwangju Alley Commercial District Hope ON Communication Meeting’.

In Tae-yeon, President of the Small Enterprise and Market Service (right), visited alley-style shopping districts in the Gwangju area on the 4th to check the operation status and listen to on-site difficulties. Small Enterprise and Market Service

SEMSA organized this event to assess the on-site conditions of alley commercial districts, which have often been left in the blind spots of policy, and to discuss both the achievements of past policies and future directions for development.

On this day, President Intaeyeon visited the 1913 Songjeong Station Market, the Dongmyeong-dong Café Street alley-type shopping district, and other locations to check on the operation of these commercial districts. He then attended the meeting held at the Buk-gu Haengbok Eoulrim Center, where he listened to the on-site challenges raised by Gwangju City and district officials, representatives of the Alley-Type Shopping District Merchants Association, and small business owners.

During the meeting, discussions covered the perceived changes since the designation of alley-type shopping districts, the current use of Onnuri gift certificates, specialized strategies for each district, as well as practical needs for support such as digital transformation, marketing, and environmental improvements.

Gwangju is regarded as a leading region where the alley-type shopping district policy has quickly taken root on the ground. As of last year, there were a total of 643 alley-type shopping districts in Gwangju, the highest number recorded nationwide. Over the past year, 579 new districts were designated, showing a significant increase compared to the previous year.

This result is attributed to proactive efforts to identify small alley commercial districts through close administrative measures, such as on-site surveys and merchant meetings by district. It is especially meaningful in that the scope of policy support has expanded from traditional markets to include alley commercial districts closely tied to daily life.

SEMSA has also worked to strengthen the competitiveness of alley-type shopping districts through public-private cooperation. It has supported the expansion of Onnuri gift certificate affiliates on site, established a foundation for communication and exchange between merchant organizations, and invigorated alley commercial districts through joint consumption promotion campaigns with local organizations.

By collaborating with Kakao, SEMSA provided tailored digital education and marketing support for commercial districts, and worked with Hana Bank to replace high-efficiency energy equipment and improve the environment for 282 stores within alley-type shopping districts, helping to ease business burdens.

Building on these achievements, SEMSA plans to further advance its support system by launching a new alley-type shopping district development project this year. The newly initiated ‘Promising Alley Commercial District’ development project, with a total scale of 50 districts and 12.5 billion won, will focus on branding and creating local hubs within each district, aiming to nurture them into self-sustaining regional commercial models.

President Intaeyeon stated, “The meeting in Gwangju, where the alley-type shopping district policy is operating most dynamically on the ground, was an opportunity to discuss how these commercial districts can grow in the future. We will continue to faithfully reflect the voices from the field in our policies, thoroughly prepare for the newly established dedicated projects starting this year, and provide close support so that alley-type shopping districts can become competitive local landmarks.”

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