Seoul breaks ground on Shin Jungang Market transformation

Seoul has begun construction on an 18.7 billion won ($12.6 million) redesign of Shin Jungang Market in Jung District in the center of the capital, aiming to turn the traditional market into a destination where shoppers and tourists can eat, rest and experience local culture. The Seoul Metropolitan Government held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday at the market, marking the first construction project under its Design Innovation Traditional Market initiative, with completion targeted for August 2027. Founded as Seongdong Market in 1962, Shin Jungang Market grew into one of Seoul's foundational commercial hubs, anchoring the central city's postwar trade along with Namdaemun and Dongdaemun markets. Over the decades, it became particularly famous as the city's premier wholesale center for grain and dried fish, weaving itself into the everyday life and culinary heritage of the capital. The project will replace the market’s existing arcade with an environmentally friendly wooden roof designed to admit natural light, while adding terraced resting areas and improving connections between the ma