Minister Han Seong-sook of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups visited the "Daejeon Jung-gu glocal commercial district," created around Eunhaeng-dong and Daeheung-dong in Jung-gu, Daejeon, to review the progress of the project.
According to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) on the 5th, Minister Han visited Daejeon to check on the status of the glocal commercial district project under way in the old downtown and to gather on-site opinions to set future policy directions.
A glocal commercial district is a compound of "global" and "local," meaning a commercial area that draws people from home and abroad by using local human and material resources.
In the Daejeon Jung-gu glocal commercial district, the lead agency, WingWing, is using Sungsimdang's "bread" as the signature local content and is strengthening the identity of a glocal bakery city by holding bakery competitions and bread pop-ups in idle spaces.
The on-site tour of the glocal commercial district began with WingWing explaining the project plan and progress. Afterwards, the group looked around nearby bakeries Cold Butter Bake Shop and Mongsim, Shop Peak, which sells various daily necessities, and the Sungsimdang Cultural Center, which is hosting the exhibition "Thank You, Fuissojeon." They also visited Dadarda Bookstore, which plans and runs local bookstore festivals, to experience the Daejeon Jung-gu glocal commercial district's spaces for attracting and retaining visitors.
A tea discussion was also held to share difficulties encountered during the project. Ways to enhance the competitiveness of the local commercial base and foster cooperation among diverse stakeholders within the district were discussed. They exchanged views on the need for win-win collaboration among long-established shops, local brands, and creators.
Minister Han Seong-sook said, "The various attempts and activities confirmed on site today clearly show that the appeal of a commercial district is formed when local content and private-sector creativity are combined," adding, "Next year's glocal commercial district creation project will also be prepared without a hitch by reflecting today's on-site opinions."