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A large shopping mall with various stores, including cinemas and restaurants, has a particularly cool atmosphere since Corona 19.

Some traders say that it is better to close the business even with a penalty fee.



Reporter Jeong Da-eun on the report.



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A large shopping mall in Yongsan Station in Seoul.

The inside and outside of the building is noticeably busy.



Even though it is a shopping mall with a large train station with a lot of floating population, there are many empty tables in restaurants and cafes.



[Auntie/Restaurant Operation: Because almost 80% of sales fell.

(The deficit) can be assumed to be more than 10 million won per month.]



I want to cut down on labor costs and stop the business, but I can't

afford it

.



[Emo's/restaurant operation: Because business hours are stipulated to some extent, there is a penalty for not opening.] As



sales drop sharply, the burden of rent and maintenance costs is high.



[Mr. Shin/Cafe operation: The rent and maintenance fees are very high.

I keep losing money.

It would be better if I paid the penalty fee...

.] The



situation is similar for a large shopping mall in Dongdaemun, Seoul.



There are many empty shops.



[Mr. Mother-in-law/Operation of a clothing store: The store is empty one by one when going back and forth on holidays.

If the empty space is 100%, 80% of those who did there went out this year...

.]



There are many places that are on sale or are closed at all.



Even asking for a lower rent doesn't work.



[Aunt's/Clothing store operation: Some people don't come out because they can't do business...

As for the maintenance fee, there are many vacancy here, so it was difficult to give it down more, and I asked for a lower rent.

It didn't work.]



As a result of a survey of small business owners, rent was selected as the most burdensome item of management expenses after corona re-proliferation.



The rent for small business owners in national industrial complexes and public institutions is partially reduced, but large distribution companies that operate large shopping malls are passive.



Active win-win efforts, such as temporary rent cuts, are required.



(Video editing: Kim Joon-hee, VJ: Jung Min-gu)