Vacancy Rate for Commercial Stores Nationwide Tops 13% Over 5 Years

The vacancy rate for general commercial stores nationwide recently reached 13.36%, up 1.4 percentage points from five years ago and the highest since 2021. This means the phenomenon of empty stores has continued for seven consecutive quarters since the third quarter of 2024. As of the second quarter of 2026, Sejong had the highest vacancy rate in the country at 22.79%, followed by Daegu (17.84%), North Chungcheong (17.43%), North Gyeongsang (16.66%), and Gwangju (16.50%).

Vacant ground-floor stores, the core of commercial districts, also increased. The ground-floor vacancy rate for general commercial stores nationwide rose from 4.79% to 6.68% over the same period. Sejong was highest at 11.12%, followed by Daegu at 10.21% and North Gyeongsang at 8.95%.

Vacancies also increased across store types. The vacancy rate for mid-to-large commercial stores nationwide rose from 12.98% to 14.33%. In Sejong, the mid-to-large store vacancy rate hit 29.68%, meaning three out of every ten stores were empty. The small-store vacancy rate rose from 6.41% to 8.47%, with Incheon posting the largest increase nationwide, jumping from 5.16% to 10.59%.

Half of business closures were attributed to 'poor business performance.' According to an analysis of National Tax Service statistics by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, 975,681 businesses closed last year, a closure rate of 8.64%. More than half—50.4%—cited 'poor business performance' as the reason for closing.

Rep. Hwang Hee said, "The spread of vacant commercial stores is not just a problem for specific regions but a signal for the livelihood economy, reflecting a complex mix of domestic demand conditions and changes in the consumption environment."