Suncheon City establishes strategy to utilize idle space to revitalize original downtown

Suncheon = Yonhap News) Reporter Son Sang-won = Suncheon City, Gwangju, Jeollanam-do is taking steps to revitalize its decaying original downtown.

According to Suncheon City on the 27th, the city decided to move away from the existing focus on supporting events and stores and pursue a project to revitalize the original downtown by exploring ways to utilize idle space and resources together with citizens and merchants.

We decided to establish a step-by-step strategy by 2030 and collect opinions through a task force (TF) in which residents, youth, merchants, and experts participate.

It was decided to identify the status of long-term neglected buildings and idle spaces through the services of specialized organizations and public discussion, and prepare an action plan that includes space utilization plans by 2028.

The city said that the period from 2029 to 2030 will be an implementation phase, and the focus will be on rebuilding rather than new construction.

We also plan to promote an 'experimental store' project that will allow young people and prospective entrepreneurs to operate some of the empty stores in Jungang-dong.

Suncheon Mayor Son Hoon-mo said, “The competitiveness of the original downtown depends on how to reuse existing spaces rather than building new buildings or simply supporting stores.” He added, “We will communicate with citizens to revive the potential of empty spaces one by one.”