Gwanghwamun in central Seoul was ranked first among the country’s business districts in terms of yearly sales and sales volume per person.

SK Telecom’s big data analysis service Geovision analyzed 20 major business districts across the country from November 2016 to October 2017. 

Geovision provides an analysis of business districts by tracking statistics of location, population, sales, category of business and consumer’s consumption tendency, combined with information on a map.

SK Telecom said the areas near Gwanghwamun Station recorded the top sales of 5.8 trillion won ($4.6 billion) during a year-period, about an eight-fold jump compared to the 2013 analysis. The area’s individual sales recorded 3.9 million won. 

If combined with the sales of adjacent areas such as City Hall Station and Jonggak Station, the total sales in the area would surpass 12.7 trillion won, the company said. 

SK Telecom attributed the meteoric rise in sales near Gwanghwamun area to the concentrated population who took to the street during the monthslong candlelight vigil and other year-end events held at Gwanghwamun Square. 

Meanwhile, Apgujeong Station in the posh Gangnam district was ranked 19th, a dramatic fall from third place five years ago. Areas near Gangnam Station, which recorded the top sales volume in 2013, were ranked 13th.

Other than major business districts in Seoul, Nam-gu in Ulsan, Jung-gu in Busan, areas near Seohyun Station in Seongnam and Beomgye Station in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province were mentioned in the top 20 list. 

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)