As the Constitutional Court nears its ruling on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, daily pro- and anti-impeachment rallies near the court have led to damages for small business owners. A sample survey conducted by Jongno-gu revealed that some businesses saw a drop in sales of 80% compared to last year.
On the 3rd, Jongno-gu announced plans to establish relief measures for merchants, residents, and students in the area around the Constitutional Court. Rallies have continued daily, blockading major access routes, resulting in a sharp decline in tourists, and the noise from the protests has severely impacted the businesses. Residents and students are also suffering damages.
Jongno-gu conducted a sample survey targeting several small business stores located in Gahoe-dong, north of the Constitutional Court, where restaurants and cafes are concentrated. As a result, the majority of self-employed individuals reported a sales decline of 50-80% in March this year compared to last year. A Jongno-gu official noted, "Some stores are considering closing down."
Jongno-gu is reviewing support measures for small business owners. The district plans to assist small business owners whose sales have decreased by providing loan interest support and deferring national and local government taxes. They are also set to implement the "Small Business Financial Assurance Interest Support System," which offers support of up to 100 million won per business at an interest rate of 2%.
Jung Moon-hun, the district chief, stated, "We cannot ignore the damages caused to merchants, residents, and students by the increasingly violent protests," adding, "Just as the freedom of assembly must be protected, the rights of residents to reside, students' right to learn, and merchants' right to operate must also be guaranteed." The district chief plans to meet with merchants at a meeting next week and propose additional support to the relevant departments.
Since the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol was passed by the National Assembly on December 16 of last year, protests have been ongoing near the Constitutional Court for four months.