The government is set to revitalize vacant urban areas by filling them with people and cultural content.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on September 8 that they will launch the 'Urban RE:CORE Project' pilot program starting next year.
This initiative aims to not only renovate vacant commercial spaces and unused buildings in local urban areas but also to support both physical spaces and cultural content, thereby restoring the core functions of these areas through inter-ministerial collaboration.
The project will target urban decline areas as defined by the Special Act on Urban Regeneration, focusing on regions identified in current urban and county master plans where vacant commercial properties are concentrated and urgently need revitalization.
The Ministry of Land will acquire vacant commercial properties or enter into long-term lease agreements to transform them into 'Revitalized Urban Commercial Spaces.'
These vacant spaces will be remodeled for use as studios for youth and cultural artists, startup spaces, co-working offices, and pop-up stores, with rental support provided during the project period to ensure stable operations for tenants. After the project concludes, local governments will be required to include plans for a minimum 10-year lease period and rental increase caps in their urban regeneration revitalization plans to sustain the revitalization effects.
Unused public facilities, vacant motels, and large-scale vacant commercial properties in urban areas will be developed into specialized hubs tailored to local characteristics. These may include cultural and artistic centers, startup support and incubation facilities, commercial support facilities, and spaces for local brand exhibitions and sales.
The specialized hubs will be linked with individual vacant commercial properties to spread vitality throughout the urban area. Additionally, the government plans to enhance infrastructure, such as parking lots, which are lacking in these areas, and improve the streetscape through signage and exterior renovations, as well as nighttime lighting and themed street developments.
This approach aims to create a comprehensive urban regeneration model that connects specialized hubs, vacant commercial spaces, and specialized streets, moving beyond isolated support for individual buildings.
The Ministry of Culture will promote the 'Cultural Content Activation Project for Urban Regeneration' in conjunction with spatial revitalization. This initiative will identify and develop cultural content that can represent the urban area by utilizing local cultural and human resources, providing step-by-step support from creation to distribution. The developed content will be showcased at local festivals, cultural facilities, commercial areas, and online platforms, as well as at the specialized hubs and revitalized urban commercial spaces created through the Ministry of Land's initiatives.
To encourage participation from cultural cities that have completed their national funding, the government plans to grant additional points during the selection evaluation process, allowing them to spread their accumulated cultural resources and planning capabilities to urban areas. Currently, there are 37 cities designated as cultural cities by the Minister of Culture under the Regional Cultural Promotion Act.
In the initial phase of the project, pop-up stores featuring familiar content will be opened to provide local residents with diverse cultural experiences and business opportunities for local content companies. Alongside the pop-up stores, programs tailored to local characteristics, such as community experience programs and masterclasses for creators, will also be operated.
The government plans to initially select one or two locations in each of the four regions outside the metropolitan area and gradually increase this to two or three locations per region by 2029.
Selected areas will receive project funding of up to approximately 36.5 billion won per region. The Ministry of Land will provide up to 21 billion won in national funding for each selected area over four years, with a total project budget, including matching local funds, reaching a maximum of 30 billion won, as reflected in the government's proposal for a super-regional special account. The Ministry of Culture has also committed to providing up to 3.24 billion won in national funding.
The Ministry of SMEs will prioritize selected areas that participate in existing programs such as the 'Local Commercial District Development Project,' 'Traditional Market Development Project,' and 'Small Business Cultural Innovation Support.'
A preliminary project briefing for local governments will be held on the 17th, and the selection process will begin as soon as the budget is finalized.
Acting Minister of SMEs and Startups Noh Yong-seok stated, "Through this project, we aim to create a new model for local commercial growth that combines the unique resources of urban areas with local startups, enabling youth to dream of the future, transforming individual businesses into thriving commercial districts, and fostering balanced growth led by the community through revitalized commercial areas."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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