It’s very difficult… Korea’s largest Garak market closed due to Corona 19

On the afternoon of the 9th, the first floor of Garak Mall is closed due to a confirmed case of a new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) at the Garak Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market (Garak Market) in Songpa-gu, Seoul, the largest market in Korea. [뉴스1]

A confirmed case of a novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) occurred at Garak Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market (Garak Market) in Songpa-gu, Seoul, the largest market in Korea.

The Seoul Food and Agriculture Corporation announced on the 9th that “three direct sales of dried fish and one direct sales of livestock have been notified of the corona 19 decision from the Songpa Health Center.”

Accordingly, KDHC and Songpa-gu Office implemented special quarantine throughout the Garak Market. 1,200 employees on the first floor were asked to self-isolate after being screened for Corona 19. From 3 p.m. on this day, all 360 fisheries, dried fish, and livestock stores that moved into the first floor of Garak Mall were closed, and the entrance was closed to prohibit market customers from entering.

The experience of the traditional market recorded the worst in 9 months since March, but the business was stopped due to the outbreak of corona19, and the troubles of merchants are deep. According to the Small Business Market Promotion Corporation, last month’s traditional market economic experience index (BSI) was 44.8. This is the lowest level in 9 months since the global pandemic of Corona 19 occurred in March (28.4).

The reason for the worsening of the sensational economy was 89.2% of respondents citing the epidemic of infectious diseases such as Corona 19. So Vacuum surveyed the trends of 1,300 traditional markets on the 10th to 14th of last month, and at this point, before special quarantine measures were implemented during the year-end and New Year’s holidays, in reality, it seems that the game experienced last month would not have been better.

Garak Market is the largest food material market in Korea and plays a role of relaying agricultural, livestock, and fishery products nationwide. The 513,160㎡ site is the size of 76 soccer fields, and 80,000 to 90,000 people visit each day.

The Corporation did not set a period for the closure of the entire first floor of Garak Market. After conducting a checkup for all distributors, a total survey of all resident merchants in Garak Market will be conducted according to the results. A construction official said, “It was confirmed that the confirmed person was wearing a mask,” and said, “The store where he worked is not an enclosed space, but a place that is actually a parking lot and auction house.”

Reporter Lee Ga-young [email protected]