Whichever Korean city you go to, Jung-gu is always at the center. Just as in Daegu. Here, Jung-gu is not only the geographical center but also the cultural and commercial center.

Within Jung-gu, there are as many as 11 street markets, 4 department stores, 4 large fashion
malls and 4 underground malls. Loads of entertainment and culture to choose from. 49 movie
theaters, 22 art galleries, 14 drama theaters and 4 museums.

Let’s take a further look at Jung-gu, the face of Daegu.

The district is planning to build eco-friendly living spaces and recreate the city landscape and beautify the urban culture.

A big priority for Jung-gu is ‘Dongseongno improvement project’ and ‘Cultural Alley renovation project’.

The city has allocated a 4.4 billion won budget dedicated to the renovation and improvement of Dongseongno and for it live up to its potential of being a vital cultural identity. Plans call for a permanent outdoor stage in from of Debec, as well as park and sculpture enhancements, etc..

The mayor of Jung-gu district, Yoon Sun-young, said that the projects’ aim is to improve Daegu’s image for the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Athletics, in addition to bolstering citizens’ esthetic appreciation and play as a role model to other provinces.

The goal of the ‘Cultural Alley renovation project’ has been given 1.6 billion Won to make better use of the historical alleys in the city center, such as the Samil Movement street in Dongsan-dong and to the entrance of the Yangyeongsi medicine street. The district plans to restore the old houses of famed citizens of Daegu yesteryear and improve the overall design of the street.

By connecting the main streets of Yangyeongsi and Dongseongno, this will enhance the walking tourism of the area and improve the value of local cultural education.

Jung-gu is also focusing on revitalizing the local economy by designating the Yangyeongsi herb medicine and the Gyodong Jewelry street, as special districts.

They built the Yangyeongsi arch for the 280 herb medicine stores in the area and completed the infrastructure by establishing a herb medicine theme street, Yangyeongsi park, a new public parking lot, broadcasting system, etc.

With a 4.9 billion won budget, Jung-gu is planning to build a herb medicine quality certification center for herb medicine inspection, quality certification, and inspector education. They are also going to make a herb medicine well-being experience area (budget of 3 billion won).

In the Gyodong Jewelry Market, there are around 300 precious metal companies (manufacturing and selling) with over 1,500 employees. The size of the market is 50 billion won and yearly exports amount to over 30 billion won.

The Fashion Jewelry special town, completing next year, will be located in currently the Dong-a Department store parking lot. There will be manufacturing facilities, a buyers office and exhibitions in this building.

In a word, it will be all about jewelry.

With the budget of 2.5 billion won, Jung-gu will bury utility cables, repair the roads, install more street lamps and symbols in the effort to help the Kyodong jewelry street revitalizing project. They are going to hold a ‘Jewelry Fair Daegu 2011′ in which over 100 companies from in and outside of Korea will participate in.

Jung-Gu is pushing for various cultural experience for the citizens along with lots of festivals on schedule.

Yoon Sun-young, the mayor of Jung-gu district, said, ‘We’ll recreate Jung-Gu as the center of Daegu so that it can be the center of culture and art’.