Parking enforcement suspended district-wide, with 196 CCTV cameras near traditional markets also halted
Jongno-gu will suspend parking enforcement and open school facilities as temporary parking lots ahead of the Chuseok holiday.
The measures are intended to ease the burden on residents, returning visitors and tourists heading to traditional markets in the district.
The district will fully suspend parking and stopping enforcement throughout its jurisdiction from Sept. 24 to Sept. 27. Enforcement will be halted around traditional markets including Gwangjang Market and Tongin Market, as well as on residential side streets. All 196 CCTV enforcement cameras and mobile patrol vehicles will also be stood down during the period. However, enforcement will continue in areas directly tied to public safety — including crosswalks, bus stops, fire department facilities, and school and elderly protection zones.
A 24-hour operations center staffed by 33 enforcement personnel working in three daily shifts will also run throughout the holiday period to receive and process parking-related complaints.
To further ease parking for residents, the district will open 290 spaces across eight schools as temporary lots from Sept. 24 to Sept. 27: Cheongun Elementary School, Sangmyung Women's High School, Seoul Arts High School, Hyehwa Elementary School, Gyeongsin High School, Changsin Elementary School, Myeongsin Elementary School and Seoil Culture and Arts High School.
Jongno-gu will also issue 2.5 billion won ($1.85 million) worth of Jongno Love Gift Certificates starting at 5 p.m. Thursday to boost holiday spending. The certificates carry a 5 percent discount and can be purchased through the Seoul Pay Plus app. As of Friday, they are accepted at approximately 22,000 affiliated merchants in the district. The monthly purchase limit is 500,000 won per person, with a maximum holding limit of 1.5 million won.
An online direct-trade marketplace connecting the district with its sister cities nationwide will operate intensively during the holiday period. Partner cities — including Jeongeup, Naju, Gokseong, Yeongwol, Anseong, Andong, Yeoju, Geochang, Goseong and Sokcho — along with Gangwon Province and North Chungcheong Province will offer regional agricultural products, gift sets and health foods. The district office website will also provide direct-trade information and featured specialties by city.
The district is also pursuing 17 tasks across three areas — safety, livelihood and lifestyle — under the goal of ensuring residents have a safe and warm Chuseok.
On the safety front, the district will strengthen disaster response systems covering heat waves, flooding, fires and emergency medical care, while stepping up safety management at construction sites and high-traffic public facilities. Livelihood measures will focus on boosting business in traditional markets and other commercial areas and stabilizing prices. Lifestyle convenience efforts will center on providing traffic information, ensuring timely waste collection and disseminating holiday information.
To support these efforts, the district will operate a Chuseok integrated operations center from 6 p.m. on Sept. 23 through 9 a.m. on Sept. 28, deploying 178 district employees to prepare for any emergencies that may arise during the holiday.
"We have put in place measures — including the parking enforcement suspension and the issuance of Jongno Love Gift Certificates — so that both residents and returning visitors can prepare for the holiday without added stress," District Mayor Yoo Chan-jong said. "We will leave no gaps in our preparations across safety, livelihood and everyday convenience, so our residents can enjoy the holiday with peace of mind."
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