Gwangju's Traditional Markets Received Zero Heat Wave Support... Government Unaware of Air Conditioning in 11 Locations

Only 10 Out of 1,403 Traditional Markets Nationwide Received Government Heat Wave Response Support
11 Out of 25 Markets in Gwangju Excluded From Air Conditioning Facility Status Survey
4 Out of 6 Traditional Markets in Gwangsannu District Omitted... Next Year's Budget to Increase 4.3 Times

This summer saw record-breaking heat waves, yet none of Gwangju's 25 traditional markets received government support for heat wave response facilities. Additionally, 11 locations were excluded from the air conditioning facilities status survey. In Gwangsannu District, four out of six traditional markets were omitted from the survey list.

According to data obtained on September 24 by Moonyoung Lim, a member of the Trade, Industry, Energy, Small and Medium Venture Business Committee of the National Assembly (representing Gwangsan-eul, Gwangju for the Democratic Party of Korea), from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Small Enterprise and Market Service, the ministry included heat wave response facilities such as cooling fog systems and portable air coolers in the traditional market safety management package project starting this year.

However, only 10 out of 1,403 traditional markets nationwide (0.7%) received support. Of the 1,013 stores in these markets, nine received cooling fog systems and one received a portable air cooler. All 25 traditional markets in Gwangju were left out of the support programs.

There were also significant gaps in the survey on the availability of air conditioning facilities.

Status of air conditioning facilities in traditional markets compiled by the Small Enterprise and Market Service. In Gwangju, 8 out of 14 surveyed locations were found to have air conditioning facilities. Provided by the office of Assemblyman Moonyoung Lim

The Small Enterprise and Market Service's 'Traditional Markets, Shopping Districts, and Store Management Status Survey' only examines air conditioning facilities in multi-unit building type traditional markets. Of the 1,403 markets nationwide, only 622 multi-unit building types were surveyed. The remaining 781 sites (55.7%), including street stalls, open sheds, and mixed-use commercial-residential buildings, were not surveyed. Among the 622 surveyed locations, 217 (34.9%) did not have any air conditioning facilities.

In the case of Gwangju, only 14 out of 25 traditional markets that are multi-unit building types were included in the survey. Of these, eight had air conditioning facilities. Meanwhile, 11 locations—including eight mixed-use commercial-residential markets and three open shed types—were excluded from the survey.

In Gwangsannu District, four out of the six traditional markets—Bia Five-Day Market, Songjeong Five-Day Market, Songjeong Daily Market, and Usan Daily Market—were excluded from the survey.

The budget for heat wave response will increase significantly next year. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups plans to newly add a natural disaster category to the safety management package starting in 2027. The draft budget for this area is set to increase from 13.2 billion won this year to 56.2 billion won next year, a 4.3-fold rise.

No specific support plan has yet been announced. When Assemblyman Lim's office requested the 2027 project implementation plan, the ministry responded, "It is currently being developed, so it is difficult to provide an answer." In addition, the draft 2027 budget for the safety management package did not specifically mention heat wave response facilities.

The ministry explained that until now, the survey focused on indoor air conditioning facilities, such as air conditioners, and only covered multi-unit building type markets. Looking ahead, the ministry plans to also survey the installation status of cooling fog systems and other air conditioning solutions in other market types.

Assemblyman Lim stated, "Only 10 traditional markets nationwide received government support for heat wave response facilities this summer, and not a single one in Gwangju received such support. What's more concerning is that the government does not even have accurate information on whether 11 out of 25 traditional markets in Gwangju are equipped with air conditioning facilities." He added, "We will ensure that the expanded budget next year leads to actual improvements in the air conditioning infrastructure at traditional markets in both Gwangju and Gwangsannu District."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.