Relocation of Street Vendors in Front of Exit 3, Seongsu Station, Seongdong-gu

Published 07 Aug.2024 07:40(KST)

Two Street Vendors Removed by June, Followed by Relocation of One Sidewalk Business and One Street Vendor on August 4... Two Safety Personnel Permanently Assigned to Alleviate Evening Rush Hour Crowds and Create a Pleasant Walking Environment... "Additional Efforts Planned for Second Half of Year Including Crosswalk Relocation, Traffic Signal Installation, Protective Fence Installation in September, and Village Bus Stop Relocation"

The appearance after the street shop relocation

Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jung Won-oh) announced on the 4th that it has completed the relocation of sidewalk business facilities and street vendors around Exit 3 of Seongsu Station to resolve the issue of crowd congestion.

As of May 2024, Seongsu-dong houses 67 knowledge industry centers and is a hot place with many famous companies, attracting a particularly large floating population. However, there are only four exits installed when Seongsu Station opened in the 1980s, causing great inconvenience to users and posing safety risks.

In particular, in front of Exit 3 of Seongsu Station, a dangerous situation has occurred where pedestrians and vehicles become congested as many people, including office workers, gather to board the subway during rush hour.

The district has been aware of this issue for a long time and has continuously requested Seoul Metro since 2021 to increase the number of exits to reduce congestion. Additionally, since the 11th of last month, two safety personnel have been stationed at Exits 2 and 3 of Seongsu Station during weekday rush hours to ensure the safety of vehicles and pedestrians.

However, due to sidewalk business facilities and street vendors in front of Exit 3 of Seongsu Station, there was not enough space to wait at the crosswalk signal, leaving concerns about pedestrian safety unresolved.

Accordingly, the district has been conducting regular patrols and crackdowns to secure safety in the area and has persistently persuaded business owners to relocate. Through these efforts, one street vendor was removed in March last year and another in June this year, and the remaining sidewalk business facilities (shoe repair stands) and street vendors (snack sales) were finally relocated on August 4.

In the second half of this year, the crosswalk in front of Exit 3 of Seongsu Station is scheduled to be relocated and additional traffic lights installed, which is expected to further improve the pedestrian environment. Furthermore, the district plans to install pedestrian protective fences and relocate the village bus stop in September to further enhance pedestrian safety.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, "Safety is an absolute value that cannot be compromised, and after long efforts to provide residents with a safer walking environment, we have completed the relocation of sidewalk business facilities and others. We will continue to make more meticulous efforts for the safety of all residents."