Suwon Nammun Market to Be Reborn as a 'Global Century Market'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jeong Jun-seong] Suwon Nammun Market is being reborn as a ‘Global Century Market.’

Suwon Special City held a ‘Century Market Vision Declaration Ceremony’ on the 11th in the vicinity of Jidong Bridge in Paldal-gu, announcing the launch of the ‘Suwon Nammun Century Market.’

The ‘Century Market Development Project’ is a project that will invest a total of 4 billion won (2 billion won each in state and city funds) through next year to newly renovate Suwon Nammun Market into the ‘King's Market’ and develop it into a global stay-type tourism market representing Korea.

The vision is ‘Suwon Century Nammun Market Opening to the World — Embracing King Jeongjo's Reforms, Heading Toward the World.’ The plan is to reinterpret the historical and traditional values of Suwon Nammun Market in a modern way and to establish landmarks and internal and external infrastructure.

The ‘Century Market,’ a specialized market development project by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, refers to a market among the nation's traditional markets that are more than 70 years old, reinterpreted as an economic, cultural, and social landmark that can continue for more than a century into the future. The Suwon Nammun Market consortium (Suwon City, Suwon Nammun Market, and the Suwon Urban Foundation) was selected in the ‘Specialized Market Development Project (Century Market)’ competition last December, securing 2 billion won in state funds.

The vision declaration ceremony that day was attended by Mayor Lee Jae-jun, City Council Chairperson Kim Mi-kyung, Rep. Kim Young-jin (Suwon C), traditional market merchants, Suwon Urban Foundation Chairman Lee Byung-jin, and Suwon City Merchants Association President Choi Geuk-ryeol.

Suwon Urban Foundation Chairman Lee Byung-jin and Suwon City Merchants Association President Choi Geuk-ryeol declared the vision for Suwon Nammun Market. They said, “We will grow Suwon Nammun Market into the Suwon Century Nammun Market that opens to the world, embracing King Jeongjo's reformist spirit,” and “We will make it a market that citizens are proud of, a market where merchants regain their strength, a market where tourists stay and spend, and a global century market that people from around the world visit.”

They also pledged to clearly establish Suwon Nammun Market's unique identity and to make it △a market where people want to walk and stay △a market full of vitality even at night △a sustainable market where merchants are the main protagonists △a market that grows together with the local commercial district.

Mayor Lee Jae-jun said, “We will make Suwon Nammun Market a market that lasts a century, even a thousand years,” expressing his hope that “it will leap forward into a global stay-type tourism market where tradition meets modernity.”