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Although there are department stores in most medium to large Korean cities, many of
them, Kangnung included, retain their traditional small shops, street vendors, and
market stalls. One can find almost anything in these markets, from baskets of
dried anchovies and squid and blocks of tofu to appliances, household goods,
and plumbing fixtures. In the photo above, a vegetable vendor in Kangnung's central market awaits a sale. Moments after I took this picture, Margaret bought the bunch of "mountain vegetable" at the left front. If you travel to Korea in another 10 or 15 years, you may not see many traditional markets. At the start of the 21st century, they still look and sound very much vital, but more and more Koreans prefer the convenience of all-in-one supermarkets and department stores. The customers in the traditional markets are older, and so are the vendors; few young Koreans now choose this trade.
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