Jongno-gu Selected as Top District in Seoul Street Vendor Management Evaluation

Jongno-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Chung Moonhun) announced on April 13 that it has been selected as the top district in the "2025 District Street Vendor Management Performance Evaluation" organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The evaluation was conducted among 25 districts, with a written assessment and on-site inspections covering nine criteria across four categories: permit system management, demolition/relocation, administrative measures, project implementation, and communication/collaboration.

Jongno-gu has been renovating street vendors at Dongmyo last month. Provided by Jongno-gu.

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Jongno-gu has consistently applied a tailored management approach depending on the time and location. For example, traditional markets are prioritized during holidays, school routes are targeted at the start of the new term, and popular walking districts such as Seochon and Bukchon are managed during outing seasons. This spring, for the Dongmyo area renovation, 75 workers and three cargo trucks were mobilized to clear eight street vendor stalls and collect stored items, including 172 bags of books and 22 bags of clothing.

The renovation of the Jongno 3-ga food stall street is also recognized as an achievement. In October last year, the district designated Donhwamun-ro 11-gil and Ikseon-dong Galmaegi Alley as "coexistence streets." Although these are major city attractions drawing tourists, the accumulation of road obstructions, illegal outdoor business activities, and narrow pedestrian spaces created urgent issues that required improvement. Since then, Jongno-gu, the merchants' association, and street vendors have established a system in which each party is responsible for safety management, environmental maintenance, and order enforcement.

The district also changed the traffic system from two-way to one-way and widened pedestrian walkways. Road occupation permits were granted to street vendors and nearby businesses to prevent unchecked business expansion. In addition, a joint public-private safety management team was formed to patrol from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. the following day, strengthening both the management of pedestrian flow and emergency response capabilities.

District Mayor Chung Moonhun stated, "This achievement was made through close communication and cooperation among the administration, residents, and street vendors," and added, "We will continue to strengthen on-site inspections and implement constant safety management to create a street environment where both residents and tourists can feel safe and comfortable."

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