Pyeongtaek Mayor Jung Jang-seon Visits Sinchangdong Commercial District Following COVID-19 Outbreak

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Pyeongtaek Mayor Jung Jang-seon visited the commercial district around Sinchangdong on the 11th alongside senior city officials including the head of the Songtan Branch Office and the director of the Pyeongtaek Health Center to offer support to merchants facing difficulties due to recent consecutive COVID-19 cases.

Mayor Jung and the senior officials toured local stores and examined the regional economy, including business conditions. They listened to shop owners' concerns and conveyed messages of comfort and encouragement.

Subsequently, they held a roundtable discussion at a nearby restaurant with the chairman of the Gukje Central Market Merchants Association and the chairman of the Songtan Commerce and Industry Association to discuss measures to revitalize the Sinchangdong commercial district.

At the meeting, Yoon Kwang-woo, chairman of the Songtan Commerce and Industry Association, stated, "The situation has become even more difficult with confirmed cases occurring amid the depressed atmosphere caused by COVID-19," and added, "While the small business support measures prepared by the city will be helpful, merchants will gain strength through actual consumption."

Mayor Jung Jang-seon said, "Small business owners at the forefront of the regional economy must thrive for Pyeongtaek's economy to stabilize," and pledged, "In addition to actively promoting the small business support measures prepared by the city, we will implement various ways to encourage citizens to use local shops more frequently."

The city plans to continue visiting regional commercial districts by zone to listen to on-site voices, while promoting various policies including emergency support for small businesses.