Coffee Will Be Available at Incheon City Parks... Councilman Jeong Jong-hyuk Proposes Ordinance Allowing Limited Commercial Activities

In the future, limited commercial activities are expected to be possible at public interest events or cultural performances held in Incheon city parks. With the partial lifting of the strict ban on commercial activities in parks, it is anticipated that the convenience for citizens will be significantly improved.

According to the Incheon City Council's Industry and Economy Committee on the 29th, the 'Partial Amendment to the Incheon Metropolitan City Urban Park and Green Space Ordinance' proposed by Councilman Jeong Jong-hyuk (Democratic Party, Seo-gu 1) has passed the committee review.

The core of this amendment is to allow commercial activities for public interest purposes within the scope of maintaining the public nature of urban parks.

Specifically, commercial activities conducted in conjunction with events hosted by the state, local governments, or public institutions, or cultural and artistic events supported by these institutions, are included in the permitted activities. Until now, even simple food and beverage sales were difficult during events in parks, causing inconvenience for visitors, which is expected to be resolved with this ordinance amendment.

However, the city council has also established safeguards to prevent the inherent relaxation function of parks from being compromised due to indiscriminate commercial activities.

The ordinance specifies that Incheon City must establish detailed guidelines regarding the scope and subjects of events. Additionally, it aims to minimize inconveniences such as noise and waste issues by gathering opinions from nearby residents during the implementation process.

Councilman Jeong Jong-hyuk emphasized, "This ordinance amendment reflects the cultural demands of citizens and the voices from the field while not undermining the management function of urban parks. I hope that parks become vibrant spaces that naturally blend into the daily lives of citizens."

The ordinance is scheduled to be finally voted on at the 5th plenary session of the '306th Extraordinary Session' to be held on the 12th of next month.