• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.517-537
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• 2014

In this study, traditional markets were classified into two categories-urban or rural. This paper presents a case study of the Tongin market in Seoul and the Bongwha market in North Gyeongsang Province. Based on a survey of the customers and local residents in these markets, the peoples who have intention to show visitors around their traditional markets take more pride as local residents than peoples who do not have intention to show visitors around their traditional markets. This study includes surveys in 24 categories dealing with how local residents recognize the traditional market as regards local community, local culture and local economy. Consequently, the customers of the Tongin market and the Bongwha market had very strong expectations that their traditional markets would be popular with visitors. These surveys show that when these traditional markets were reported in the press and media, the satisfaction level of local residents was very high. Most of the respondents said that the more the local traditional market develops, the more the region develops. And, most of the respondents said that all local residents have to cooperate to develop a traditional market. To promote traditional markets that can revitalize communities, marketplaces need to be regarded as places that contain human life. In addition, there needs to a cultural and humane perspective brought to the fore. To conclude, the most effective way to solve the problem of traditional markets is to make them even more traditional.