Debt relief a Band-Aid for small merchants, but the cure may be big-box stores

A vacancy notice is posted on a commercial building in Jung District, central Seoul, on April 29. [NEWS1]

 
Korea is rolling out debt relief for small merchants, but experts say real recovery requires reviving local commercial districts with anchor stores, foot traffic and digital infrastructure — or risking sending merchants back into debt.
 
That risk is already visible on the ground. A woman in her 30s bought two bags of corn from a street vendor outside an Emart branch in Dobong District, northern Seoul, on June 16, before heading into the store with her elementary…