On the 1st, Jung-gu, Seoul announced it would conduct special maintenance for street vendors in Myeongdong, issuing administrative actions to 45 cases and providing on-site guidance for 136 cases.
This maintenance was conducted for a month from the 18th of last month to the 17th of this month. Issues such as 'illegal subleasing' where the operator on paper differs from the actual operator, 'corporations' where one person operates multiple stalls, and 'unauthorized operations' where vendors operate without permission have been raised, prompting enforcement actions.
During this period, Jung-gu conducted thorough investigations on-site every day. As a result, they uncovered violations such as operating without permission, violations of alternate day operations, and failure to display permits, leading to administrative actions like business suspensions and fines. There were also stalls where the operator was identified as deceased, and immediate revocation of registration permits was enforced. However, it was noted that these stalls were not actually in operation. Minor violations, such as stacking items on the street, were corrected on-site.
Jung-gu is preparing to establish a 'Street Vendor Operation Abnormality Reporting Center' to receive reports of individuals operating multiple stalls or illegal resale. Following this, special judicial police will investigate and respond strongly, including criminal charges. Additionally, they plan to conduct surprise inspections during a 'focused inspection week' every month and utilize 'mystery shoppers' to comprehensively check for price displays, friendliness, hygiene, and more. There are also plans to promote expanded card payments and prohibit the use of accounts under other people's names.
Kim Gil-seong, the chief of Jung-gu, stated, 'To preserve the unique street culture of Myeongdong, we will respond strictly to illegal activities' and noted, 'We will create a safe and dignified Myeongdong through intensive crackdowns and meticulous management.'