Gangseo-gu "Transforming 40-Year Illegal Street Vendors into 'Street Shops' for Coexistence"

The appearance of street vendors near Woljeong Elementary School after the implementation of the permit system. (Photo by Gangseo District Office)

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An alley next to an elementary school that had suffered from illegal street vendors for 40 years is being reborn as a clean and safe street. Gangseo-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Jin Gyo-hoon) announced on the 30th that starting next month, the alley near Woljeong Elementary School will be permitted as a street vendor zone and will be fully operational.

The ‘Street Vendor Permit System’ guarantees legal business operations for unauthorized street vendors by charging a usage fee in exchange for road occupancy permission. It is a win-win model that secures both the survival rights of existing unauthorized street vendors and the pedestrian rights of district residents.

On a narrow 70-meter road between Hwagok Jungang Market and Sinwol Sinyeong Market, about 20 unauthorized street vendors operated. Despite the high foot traffic due to the proximity of the elementary school and two markets, the vendors’ stored goods caused inconvenience for pedestrians and posed safety risks.

To devise a solution, in November 2022, the district selected the area near Woljeong Elementary School as the implementation zone for the ‘Street Vendor Permit System’ together with a cooperative policy council consisting of 15 members including merchants and resident representatives, conducting status surveys and project explanations.

Subsequently, through individual interviews and consultations with street vendors, the scale of the previously disorderly scattered street vendors was reduced and reorganized. Instead of tents, street vendors now use steel sales stands to reduce fire hazards. The sales stands were made 30 cm higher than regular stands to increase storage space and prevent goods from being piled outside the stands.

District Mayor Jin Gyo-hoon said, “Through continuous dialogue and consultation, we found a path of coexistence between residents’ pedestrian rights and street vendors’ survival rights,” adding, “We will actively support the successful operation of the Street Vendor Permit System in cooperation with street vendors, local merchants, and residents.”

Appearance before maintenance. (Photo by Gangseo-gu Office)

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