▲ Jeonbuk Merchant’s Association / President Bok Tae-man

Dedicated to saving the traditional market

Customer satisfaction, effective management and building trust

Bok Tae-man, President of the Jeonbuk Merchants Association, who has been working at the Myeongsan Traditional Market for 24 years, has dedicated his life to promoting the market. In order to make the customers who visit the traditional market feel more satisfied, he also conducted training through the operation of the Merchant University to improve the service quality. He also made the market that local residents can trust and visit by strictly controlling the quality of the products and labeling the country of origin. 

Attractive market day and night

Consumers can buy 100 products in one large mart. On the other hand, in a traditional market, they have to visit 100 stores to buy 100 products. The products sold by merchants sometimes overlap, so from the point of view of the consumer, it is necessary to compare which one sells the better product. Gunsan Public Market is a good example of a traditional market that has reduced such inconveniences. This is a historical traditional market opened in 1918 when nearby grocery stores gathered together with the opening of the Gunsan Line in 1913.

In March 2012, through facility modernization, it was renovated into a modern mart-type market with 282 stores and facilities such as an indoor parking lot, women’s culture center, and Seongang Promotion Center. Sculptures were installed to capture the attention of visitors, and youth mall projects were promoted to attract young people. Myeongsan Market, where Bok has worked for 24 years, was also one of the most famous traditional markets in Gunsan, but it has entered a slump due to aging and population decline. To improve it, lights turned on at night for citizens and tourists to stroll around and modern history activity programs were organized. About 40 stores selling food and various accessories are also in operation in the central aisle. In recognition of his devotion, Bok has received numerous citations from Gunsan Police, Gunsan Mayor, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister, SMEs and Startups Minister, and Governor of Jeollabukdo from 2006 to 2018.