On July 27th, 2009 many flower beds were installed in front of the campus where street food vendors had been established for many years. The street vendors fought for a long time against the action to remove their unauthorized street stalls, but Gyeongsan City Hall has asserted that street stalls must be removed to beautify the tiny environment and for sanitation. This situation is not only being contested between the street vendors and Gyeongsan City Hall, but also the General Student Council of Yeungnam University.
Gyeongsan City Hall initiated this plan last year and has recently begun stricter enforcement of the action. At first, they attempted to persuade the street vendors to withdraw on their own, but the street stalls did not disappear. Gyeongsan City Hall claims that street stalls are an eyesore. This matter also concerns other stores near Yeungnam University. The stores that sell goods similar to street stalls have claimed that they suffer sales losses because street stalls can offer much lower prices. Many street stalls have already disappeared in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do, but some remain near Yeungnam University.
Street vendors and the General Student Council of Yeungnam University have been working together to try to preserve the street stalls. Together they installed metal container boxes in order to make the stall less of an eyesore. However, they were soon withdrawn because they did not get approval for selling goods from Gyeongsan City Hall in advance. The General Student Council wants to help the vendors because they provide a useful service to the students. According to a questionnaire from the vendors most of them are in their forties and fifties, so it will be difficult for them to get new jobs. Even if their businesses are illegal, they need viable alternatives.
It is difficult to choose a side in this situation. For now, vendors keep on with their work because the university and the General Student Council encourages them to continue working. Street stalls should be removed when subway construction starts at YU.
