City is looking to clear streets of illegal vendors

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City is looking to clear streets of illegal vendors

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday it is planning a major offensive by the end of this week in its battle to clear the streets of unlicensed vendors before the opening of the World Cup finals.

"The crackdown is inevitable to secure the streets and provide a pleasant scenic view of the city," an city said.

The government announced that it will strictly regulate the capital's estimated 18,000 street vendors for the next four months.

During a number of high-profile international events, including the 1988 Olympic Games and the Asia-Europe Meeting in October 2000, the city tightly restricted the street vendors to varying degrees.

But this time, the government said, it is serious. The city plans to rigorously drive out food stalls and demolish unauthorized constructions to keep the sidewalks clear.

The city formed a 12-member team last month to lead the operation to clear the streets, and city officials said they will head a total force of 600 inspectors.

The city plans to focus its efforts on the Dongdaemun, Jongno, Sinchon and Gangnam districts.

Street vendors who do not cooperate with the regulation will be fined 50,000 won ($38) for each square meter their businesses take up, city officials said.

Many vendors argued that they are sacrificed for every international event. "How am I supposed to support my family?" asked Jang Soon-jah, who sells food on the street near Namdaemun in central Seoul.

On March 5 and March 14 more than 4,000 street vendors gathered in downtown Seoul to protest the movement to force them off the streets. Another rally is planned for March 28 in Seoul, and vendors said they will coordinate rallies in all 10 World Cup host cities if the local governments push ahead with their plans.

The central government has offered job training and loans to help vendors move their businesses indoors, but they say the government plan is inadequate. They said they would help the cities clean up the streets and organize street-side stalls, but will not simply give up their businesses.



by Yang Young-yu

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