Mayor Kim Sun-kyo of Yangpyeong County of Gyeonggi Province
Among six traditional markets in the Yangpyeong County of the Gyeonggi-do Province, three are selected as eligible ones for fostering as cultural tourism-oriented markets where consumers can enjoy ample generosity and share warm minds.
Like other local traditional markets, each of these markets is characterized by opening once every 5 days. They are Yangpyeong Clean Water Market (open on 3rd, 8th, 13th, 18th, 23rd and 28th day of the month), Yongmun Millennium Market (on every 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th and 25th day of a month) and Yangsuri Market (on every 1st, 6th, 11th, 16th, 21st and 26th day of a month).
As they are close to stations of the Jungang Railway and Gyeongui Jungang Electric Train, accessibility to these traditional markets is much superior to others and convenient. They are also popular because they are adjacent to colorful and beautiful tourist attractions. Yangpyeong Clean Water Market is close to Shija Park, Galsan Park, County Museum and a water sound road. Yangsuri Market is surrounded by junction of the Han River, ‘Semiwon’, a lotus park, and the Village of Shower. And consumers can fully enjoy rail bike and beauty of attractive Mt. Yongmun near Yongmun Millennium Market.
Traditional markets in Yangpyeong continuously strive to approach to consumers with differentiated strategies, doing away with uniformed style. Yangpyeong Clean Water Market features unique collaboration where the market co-exists with culture and arts, while Yangsuri Market provides a chance of shopping and sightseeing. Yongmun Millennium Market sells clean and eco-friendly wild edible greens grown in high mountains.
Yangpyeong Clean Water Market aims to turn visiting consumers into tourists who buy commodities with full of generosity. To this end, the merchant community of the market operates a college of merchandizing to upgrade salesmanship, and the Yangpyeong County authority transformed the obsolete market into a convenient and clean one by renovating facilities, such as customer support center, public toilets, installation of electric wires underground, parking lots, renovation of signboards and installation of arcade. It also built convenience facilities including a plaza and software-based installations. Having been selected as one of markets eligible for fostering as cultural tourism-oriented markets in 2014 by the Small and Medium Business Administration, it developed a variety of contents and upgraded management system to attract more visitors. In this year, it will increase closed circuit TVs to improve safety, provide business founding consulting service to high school students and operate job-finding program to nurture young merchants.
Wild edible greens grown in clean Mt. Yongmun are so clean and eco-friendly that they had been offered to kings in ancient days. And the County has been hosting wild edible greens festival in May every year. With support of the Small and Medium Business Administration and Small Enterprise & Market Service, Yongmun Millennium Market will transform into a new shopping attraction. It will also provide convenient shopping environment to increasing visitors by expanding parking areas. After moving its location to a space in front of the Yongmun Railway Station in July 2014, the number of visitors sharply increased from about 4,000 persons to more than 12,000 persons, contributing to invigoration of regional economy.
Yangsuri Market is advantageous as it is adjacent to representative tourist attractions, ‘Semiwon’ (lotus park) and ‘Dumulmeori’(junction of the Han River) which are visited by over 2.5 million tourists a year. The County government modernized facilities of the market and built an arcade last year, and it is established as a cultural tourism-oriented traditional market.
As part of its strategy of invigorating regional economy, the Yangpyeong County authority has been concentrating resources on revitalizing traditional markets. Attributing to relentless sales activities of Mayor Kim Sun-kyo of the County, these traditional markets generate synergy effect. Selection of Yangpyeong Clean Water Market, Yangsuri Market and Yongmun Millennium Market for the program of fostering as cultural tourism-oriented markets in 2014, 2016 and 2017, respectively, is the outcome of combination of well-designed development plans, commitment of merchants and aggressive sales activities of the local autonomous government.
“Amid flood of online shopping malls and super stores, it is impossible to revive traditional markets with policy support only. It will be possible to do so by exerting joint efforts with merchant communities of markets based on discussions and communications,” said Governor Kim Sun-kyo. “We will closely cooperate with local merchant communities and regional organizations to promote the campaign of consuming local products by regional consumers.”
In relation to the policy of invigorating regional economy, the festival organizing committee of the County will host the Yangpyeong Cornelian Cherry and Korean Beef Festival on April 1-2, 2017 at and around the Gaegun Leports Park in the County.