Suwon Declares Vision as 'Local Commerce Protection City'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Suwon Special City has declared 'Local Commerce Protection City, Suwon' to protect local commerce and revitalize the local economy.

At the 'Local Commerce Protection City Vision Declaration Ceremony' held on May 1st at the Jeongjo Theme Concert Hall, Mayor Lee Jae-joon announced the vision and introduced the strategy, saying "We will implement five key projects and 60 detailed initiatives through three strategies: growth, coexistence, and support."

The 'growth strategy' includes △intensive cultivation of 'Saebbit Shopping Streets' (alley-type shopping areas) △expansion of Suwon Pay issuance △expanded support for traditional markets △'Kkal-matchum' strategy utilizing unique charms of traditional markets △regular hosting of Saebbit Sale Festa every May and November.

Once designated as a Saebbit Shopping Street, merchants receive qualifications equivalent to traditional markets and can use Omnuri gift certificates. As Suwon Pay merchant standards are relaxed, sales are expected to increase significantly. The issuance of Suwon Pay is planned to expand to a scale of 300 billion won by 2026.

The 'coexistence strategy' includes 'introduction of a distribution facility cap system' and 'designation of Haengnidan-gil as a regional coexistence zone.' The distribution facility cap system manages store entries by analyzing the density of large-scale stores relative to population.

The regional coexistence zone, operated centered on a 'local coexistence council' comprised of merchants, landlords, and landowners, is a privately-led commercial district that stabilizes rent through coexistence agreements among members, restricts entry of large franchises, and preserves the unique character of commerce—a zone designed to sustain and expand activated commercial districts.

The 'support strategy' is the 'establishment of a Suwon Commercial District Revitalization Center.' The Suwon Commercial District Revitalization Center serves as a control tower to professionally and systematically lead all matters related to local commerce. It provides one-stop support for administrative procedures necessary for commercial revitalization and discovers customized specialized projects suited to the characteristics of each commercial district.

Mayor Lee Jae-joon said, "We will establish and implement extraordinary measures so that all members of the local commercial community can prosper," and added, "I will steadfastly fulfill my promise to create a 'Local Commerce Protection City' where local commerce grows with citizens, coexists, and communicates."

The vision declaration ceremony included distribution of certificates for Saebbit Shopping Street designations, Mayor Lee Jae-joon's vision announcement, and coexistence agreements.

The city has recently designated four locations—Hwaseong Haenggung Merchants Association, Yeonmu Merchants Association, Homae-sil Station-centered Shopping Mall Merchants Association, and Youngtong Station i-Park Merchants Association—as 'Saebbit Shopping Streets.'

Suwon City, Suwon City Council, Suwon Merchants Federation, Suwon Small Business Federation, Suwon Large-scale Retailers, Gyeonggi Southern Supermarket Cooperative, Suwon Apartment Residents Representative Association, Consumer Education Central Association Suwon City Branch, Suwon Agricultural Cooperative, IBK Corporate Bank Dong-Suwon Branch, Suwon Saemaul Geumgo, and Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation signed a coexistence agreement and committed to actively cooperate in promoting the 'Local Commerce Protection City, Suwon' initiative.

Following the vision declaration ceremony, the opening ceremony of the Third Saebbit Sale Festa was held on Haenggung-dong Craft Street.