Seodaemun-gu to expand commercial banner space at designated display stands

Seodaemun-gu announced Wednesday that it will eliminate the distinction between public and commercial allocations at its cluster-type designated banner display stands starting Sept. 1, shifting to a unified management system.

The overhaul eases regulations that had been divided along administrative lines, giving residents and small business owners greater freedom to use the display space. The district described the move as a livelihood-focused policy aimed at expanding promotional opportunities for neighborhood commercial districts.

Seodaemun-gu has also been supporting small business owners through its 2026 Cultural Tourism Market Development Project, currently under way at Yeongcheon Market and Pobangter Market in the district.

The district currently operates 25 cluster-type designated banner stands with a combined 144 display panels. Of those, 96 panels — two-thirds of the total — are reserved for public use, while only 48 are available for commercial use by residents and small businesses. Many of the commercial stands are also installed in low-visibility locations, drawing complaints about poor utilization and user satisfaction.

Under the new system, only the first and second tiers of each of the 25 stands will be kept for public use, with the remaining panels opened to residents and small businesses. The district also plans to fully open 56 single-tier designated banner stands with 106 panels starting in October, after revamping the application system.

The changes will also ease the financial burden on small business owners. After consultations with the contracted operator, the district agreed to cut agency fees for commercial banner advertising by 5.7 to 7.4 percent.

"We will continue to review the spaces and systems the administration holds from the perspective of residents, and press ahead with practical regulatory reform that benefits neighborhood commercial districts," district Mayor Park Un-gi said.