Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited Magok Art Street in Gangseo-gu for his first public livelihood engagement of his 9th term.
The visit was arranged to directly observe the difficulties faced by merchants in local commercial districts and to reflect the voices from the field in city administration.
Magok Art Street is a commercial area spanning approximately 90,000 square meters between Magok Station and Balsan Station.
Currently, 579 shops are located there, and the area is home to cultural landmarks such as LG Arts Center Seoul, Space K art museum, and the Seoul Botanic Park.
In January of this year, it was selected as a target site for the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Local Brand Commercial District Development Project.
Mayor Oh held a meeting with merchants in the Magok Art Street area to listen to their suggestions and discuss ways to revitalize the local commercial district.
Afterward, he toured various parts of the commercial area to inspect the progress of the local brand development project, which links culture and arts with commerce.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government previously announced the "Boosting Livelihood Economy" plan in February, helping small business owners overcome crises by establishing emergency response funds for damages from the Middle East situation and issuing additional Seoul Love Gift Certificates.
The city plans to continue its support for small business owners during the 9th term.
It will provide 3 trillion won in long-term, low-interest policy funds annually, expand the issuance of Seoul Love Gift Certificates, and implement customized support for each stage of business, including startup, growth, crisis, and closure.
As part of a strategy to elevate Seoul into a global top 3 city, the city will also begin full-scale efforts to "revitalize the nighttime economy."
The city will identify unique "outdoor dining spots" in each autonomous district and link them with local cultural and tourism resources.
Through this, the city aims to stimulate nighttime consumption and increase the time visitors spend in the area, thereby breathing new life into local commercial districts.
(Photo: Yonhap News)