Jung Wono Listens to Public Opinion at Garak Market: "Market Modernization Will Benefit Both Citizens and Merchants"

Checking Food Prices at the Market, Listening to Merchants' Voices
"Designing the Future of Garak Market Together with Merchants"

On April 17 at around 7:30 a.m., Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party of Korea's Seoul mayoral candidate, visited the Garak Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market in Seoul to check food prices and listen to merchants' opinions regarding improvements to the distribution environment for about an hour.

On the 17th at around 7:30 a.m., Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party of Korea's Seoul mayoral candidate, visited the Garak Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market in Seoul to check food prices and listen to merchants' opinions on improving the distribution environment for about an hour. Photo by Seongah Shim

Candidate Jung stated, "The Democratic Party's top priority should be addressing people's livelihoods first," adding, "The burden of rising prices has increased due to the prolonged war in the Middle East." He continued, "If both the market merchants and citizens work together in two directions—merchants thriving and citizens receiving better services—we can find a solution," and promised, "We will strive to improve facilities and modernize systems."

The Garak Market has been undergoing facility modernization since 2009. In relation to this, Candidate Jung remarked, "The ongoing smart logistics system and facility modernization projects are not just about constructing new buildings, but about fundamentally innovating the market's structure." He pledged, "We will reform the wholesale market's distribution structure, expand direct transactions for unlisted items, improve logistics efficiency, and enhance the nighttime working environment, thereby improving the job environment for those in the distribution sector."

Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party candidate for Seoul mayor, is tasting a cucumber offered by a vendor while having a conversation at the Garak Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market in Seoul at around 7:30 a.m. on the 17th. Photo by Sim Sunga

Market representatives suggested to Candidate Jung the need to establish Garak Market as a logistics hub and to expand and reorganize it into an 'agricultural product exchange' as part of the market modernization efforts. They also voiced difficulties arising from the unique operating hours of Garak Market. Merchants at Garak Market typically work six days a week.

Lee Yonggyun, head of the fruit division at the Central Fruits and Vegetables Branch of the Seoul-Gyeonggi Port Transport Workers' Union, told reporters, "I hope more attention will be given to our union members who work as formal employees." Kim Sookhyun, president of the Garak Mall Distributors Association, said, "I hope we can experience realistic politics." He went on to say, "Merchants usually work 14 to 16 hours a day, and if they collapse after working so hard, that's the end for them that day," adding, "As we enter an aging society, merchants are increasingly falling into welfare blind spots."

In conclusion, Candidate Jung said, "This was a great opportunity to discuss the future and vision of Garak Market with the merchants here," and added, "If I become mayor of Seoul, I will continue to move forward step by step, consulting with market representatives about Garak Market's future."

The event was also attended by Democratic Party lawmakers Nam Insoon, Park Mingyu, and Lee Jeongheon.

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