We reject as false the choice between our welfare and our well being

Seoul city is about to sacrifice more of its ever shrinking 'green belt' areas.

This is by no means a new phenomenon. For instance, seven years ago, tens of millions of square meters of these protected lots were destroyed to build more homes, including some for low income families (see "Tighten your greenbelt").

But back then, 'New Town' models were still all the rage, Korea was not yet sitting on an oversupply of one million dwellings, and the population of Seoul was not shrinking.

Which, of course, is the case right now. And to add insult to injury, most of this will be done in the name of social housing. As if the only way to extend welfare was to destroy our environment. Worse: it contributes to real estate speculation across neighborhoods that were relatively spared until now.

Seoul just announced that 15,582㎡ of greenbelt land shall be dismantled around roads in Dobong-gu, Jungang-gu, Gangseo-gu, Gangnam-gu, and Seocho-gu.

Seoul and Korea to sacrifice 40 more of its greenbelt areas for social housing... while there's an oversupply of dwellings! Something is definitely rotten in Korea real estate - this shouldn't be about welfare vs well being and environment! (tweet to Mayor PARK Won-soon - 20171128 - twitter.com/theseoulvillage/status/935712198495584258)

There is a shortage in social housing, but also an oversupply in housing. So instead of digging deeper into failed and costly urban models, wouldn't it be smarter to give incentives to landlords to increase the proportion of existing dwellings devoted to that purpose? Not in new ghettos, but across the city's neighborhoods?

It's also time to cure the country's addiction to building in new spots when so many neighborhoods and structures are falling apart. What happened to interesting initiatives to help struggling landlords do more or better? In "Seoul to tap into vacant homes pool", I already mentioned the potential of housing cooperatives, particularly for dense 'villa' neighborhoods, but it's hard to find a political will to shift away from old models*.

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* even if I'm not forgetting the promising 'human town' concept (see "OH Se-hoon launches the "Seoul Human Town" concept" or "Inhuman, all too human Seoul").

In memoriam OH Se-hoon

As Yogi said, it ain't over till it's over. But figures don't look that good for Seoul Mayor OH Se-hoon.

For this doomed school meal referendum*, he needs not only a 50+% majority, but a turnout stronger than 33.3%. Polls confirm a majority of Seoulites agree with him but we're in the middle of the summer and the opposition party called for a boycott of the referendum...

Unsurprisingly, the 33.3% target seems very very unlikely. At 4 PM, participation reached only 19.6% compared to 44.5% for last year's mayoral elections, and 24.2% for the last local elections in April (Jung-gu Commissioner). Final participation for the first ballot was 53.9% (poll stations closed at 6 PM), and 31.4% for the second (open until 8 PM, like today). Worse, the gap is widening between the August 24 and the April 27 ballots : +0.5 at 8 AM, -0.7 at 11 AM, -3.0 at 2 PM, and now -4.6 at 4 PM... The 33.3% target is not even reached yet in GNP strongholds : Seocho-gu and Gangnam-gu barely cross the 25% threshold with respectively 27.6% and 26.9%. A score between 25 and 30% would be honorable but unsufficient.

OH put his job in the balance, and confirmed he wouldn't run for the Presidential elections next year. The man reminds me of ROH Moo-hyun : basically a good person and a potential great president, but not the kind of predators that can rule over Korean politicians.

Miracles can happen, but time is running late.

And whatever happens, OH will bee a free man tonight.

Seoul Village 2011
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--- UPDATE 18:00 : participation "jumped" to 22.1%, Seocho and Gangnam now claim 30%+... and with office workers flocking to the polls, is a surprise like last year's last minute victory still possible ? ---

--- UPDATE 20:40 : final score ? Honorable (25.5%) but too low. If OH made some mistakes and compromises, he put Seoul on the world map and on the right track. I wish him well, and I hope for Seoul his successor can keep the same positive trend. ---

* see previous episodes, including "Seoul free school lunch referendum (continued)"

Climate Change in Korea

After a two day break, monsoon is back. But the monsoon season is supposed to be over, and those record breaking downpours that are drowning Korea and killing dozens raise again the issue of climate change.

In this country, everything moves 빨리 빨리. Even the weather. Korea has already experienced dramatic changes over the past 100 years : average temperatures have gained 1.8 degrees celcius, winters are 2 to 3 weeks shorter and summers 2 to 3 weeks longer, Jeju-do has become a semi-tropical island, and extreme years have multiplied since 1991.

Over the past 20 years, I did experience extreme episodes firsthand, mostly typhoons or flash floods transforming streets into rapids*, or the staircases of a downtown subway station into mini-Niagara falls. But I never saw the Hangang completely frozen, except on pictures from the 50s. And I've had my share of fantastic years with mild winters and pleasant summers.

We already knew Korea was at some kind of frontier, and thus more likely to major changes : if Vladivostock is not far away, its harbor is often caught in ice during the winter, unlike those of the whole peninsula (even if the North, more mountainous, usually faces tougher winters than the South). That's one of the reasons why the federation invested in the Rajin-Sonbong Economic Special Zone in North Korea (Rason / Raseon logistic hub).

Ironically, as they pressed for more food relief, Pyeongyang propagandists forged just a few days ago a photo showing floods that didn't exist... Photoshop doesn't seem that necessary now. Images from the South are also hard to believe, but they are unfortunately true : the tragic landslides in Chuncheon or Umyeongsan**, cars crushed or drowned like toys...

Water's power of destruction showed no mercy for such wealthy areas as Daechi-dong (Gangnam-gu) or Bangbae-dong (Seocho-gu), but miraculously spared Seoul's fragile "moon villages" (generally close to mountain tops). Among the Umyeong-dong victims of the landslide, the wife of Shinsegae's chairman died in her own cellar. And another mudslide hit Ihwajang, the former home of President Syngman Rhee in Hyehwa-dong. Mobile networks went down at the heart of Gangnam, home to the new Samsung HQs and Teheran-ro start ups.

The powers that be have all been humbled and forced to reconsider their scenarii, up to the plans they had updated last year. Seoul and Korea will adapt once more, and one can hope today's tragedies will foster positive changes in urbanism and environment.

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* like last Chuseok (see "Chusoaked"), or my wet dog moment in 2008 (see "open air pool")
** Seoul Arts Center was hit, but Cezanne & co ("Musee d'Orsay in Seoul") are safe, but there too, many people died.

Seoul Marche de Noel

Dear fellow French citizens / French food lovers,

Just like last year, the 2010 edition of le Marche de Noel du Seorae Village (Xmas Market in 서래마을) will be held from 10 to 16 in Gingko Park (은행나무 공원). Only the date changes : this year, December the 4th.





A Rabelaisian character if I ever saw one, Santa will join the party.

Seoul Village 2010

KOTRA opens an Investment Consulting Center to boost FDI

Yonhap announced the opening of KOTRA's new Investment Consulting Center (ICC) in the agency's Seocho-gu headquarters*.

Following the Seoul Global Center model, the ICC provides a one-stop service (including consultations about tax, customs, videoconference links...) to foreign investors looking for opportunities, but for the whole country, in relationship with all regional and metropolitan agencies.

Korean economy is expected to grow around 6% this year thanks to a very strong first half and a weak Won, but Foreign Direct Investment remains a priority, and as we recently saw with the DMC, the emergence of competitive clusters provides even clearer opportunities for FDI. Internationalizing the Small and Medium Enterprise ecosystem will also help it grow beyond the sometimes overwhelming influence of local chaebols.

KOTRA's website (kotra.or.kr) will probably soon disclose more details about this very interesting new tool.


Seoul Village 2010

* Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) : 13 Heolleungno, Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea 137-749. Tel +82.2.3460.7114. Fax +82.2.3460.7777

"Global cluster building" in Seorin-dong

Seoul Metropolitan Government provided more details about their ambitious "Global Cluster Building" :

- WHAT ? The "one-stop services for Seoul expats" concept becomes brick and mortar. Imagine a 14 story (+ 5 basements) building, and under the same roof : the Seoul Global Center and its vast array of services, the Seoul Immigration Service, a few foreign Chambers of Commerce, a medical center, a cultural area... you name it*.

- WHEN ? work will start early 2011 for an inauguration planned in June 2012.

- WHERE ? Seorin-dong, Jongno-gu, next to Yeongpoong Building, and just meters away from Jonggak Station (Subway Line 1, exit #6). From this new location (right now, a 1,070 square-meter parking lot on Jongro), the Seoul Global Center will be less than 100 m away from the Korea National Tourism Association as the crow flies - humans will simply cross Cheonggyecheon at the small bridge of Gwanggyo. Note that nowadays, the trip from Taepyeongno (SGC headquarters) isn't that long either (hardly 300 m). On Cheonggyecheon and at the crossroads between Tapgol Park, Insadong, Gyeongbokgung, City hall and Deoksugung, the SGC is bound to welcome even more visitors.

While they were at it, SMG also delivered updates about their other brick and mortar projects for foreigners : following the DMC Ville (175 households in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu), Seoul will operate a second residence for foreigners in Seocho-gu (178 households, inauguration November or December 2010).

Seoul keeps upgrading its hardware and software for foreign visitors and residents at an impressive pace.

Seoul Village 2010

* come to think of it, you probably will be invited to actually give it a name (just like for the new Coex global business center) : 'Global Cluster Building' is only a tentative name.

Tighten your greenbelt

The Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs delisted five more greenbelt areas in Southern Seoul totalling 21.16 million square meters to make room for urban development, including 87,000 "Bogeumjari" ("Sweet Home") apartments for low income families to be delivered in 2014.

"Sweet Home" means low cost for the owners (long term projects between 15% and 50% below market price), but dear price for the environment.

Last year, two bogeumjari series had already claimed 17 million square meters of protected land in Seoul and neighboring Gyeonggi-do cities :

* 8.06 M sqm for 39,000 apartments (announced in May 2009)
. in Seoul : Segok-dong in Gangnam-gu, Umyeon-dong in Seocho-gu. The opportunity to boost mixity in two wealthy "gus", but both areas are separated from the center by mountains.
. in Goyang : Wonheung-dong in Deogyang-gu. A promising area which will open a new subway station on Line 3 between Samsong and Wondang. Both stations were indeed insanely far away from each other.
. in Hanam : Misa-dong. That's along the Han river, there's a boat race infrastructure in the middle of the dong.

* 8.89 M sqm for 40,505 apartments (announced in October 2009)
. in Seoul : Segok again, and Naegok-dong, next to Segok but in Seocho-gu
. in Bucheon : Okgil-dong, at the frontier with Guro-gu
. in Guri (West) : Galmae-dong, an important entry point to Taereung
. in Namyangju (West) : Jingeon-eup, further afield following the train line.

The new series announced yesterday cover 5 areas, with a focus on the Seoul-Incheon axis and a major New Town in Gwangmyeon :
. in Seoul : 676,000 sqm (4,500 apts including 4,300 bogeumjari) in Hang-dong, Guro-gu. That's between Okgil-dong (see above) and Onsu Station, the very important junction between subway Line 7 and the Seoul-Incheon train.
. in Gwangmyeon and Siheung : 17.367 M square meters (95,000 apts including 69,000 bogeumjari). close to the previous cluster, a gigantic new town is planned, ideally positioned to serve both the Capital city (Gwangmyeon borders Guro-gu and Geumcheon-gu, industrial areas) and it's main international entry point (Incheon, its airport, its harbor). The small number of apartments covers only the public project, not private developments.
. in Incheon : 840,000 sqm (6,000 apts / 4,300 bogeumjari) in Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu. Surrounded by highways 100, 120, and 50, this area is not well served by public transportations, but this might change : I think the Government considers a bed town equidistant from old (harbor) and new (Songdo) centers.
. in Hanam : 1.708 M sqm (12,000 apts / 8,400 bogeumjari) in Gamil-dong. Let's hope Seoul Subway Line 9 will continue this way... even if Songpa-gu / Gangdong-gu residents keep lobbying for a different scenario : a SW/NW parallel to lines 5 and 8.
. in Seongnam : 569,000 sqm (3,800 apts / 2,700 bogeumjari) in Godeung-dong, Sujeong-gu, North of Pangyo InterChange.

More supply, then, with the usual promise to bring down the prices. Unlikely if the discount is only 15%, and if the new houses are only meant as a receptacle for victims of redevelopments in more demanded areas, featuring the standard "apateu" model that disfigured Korea over the past 40 years.

One thing is sure : the Government keeps tightening Seoul's greenbelt, and something will have to be done to make for the loss.

Seoul Village 2010

Marche de Noel 2009 Sorae Village

Dear fellow French citizens,

You love foie gras, wine, and cheese ? Rejoice !

The 2009 edition of le Marche de Noel du Seorae Village (Xmas Market in 서래마을) will be held from 10 to 16 on December the 5th in Gingko Park (은행나무 공원).

That's in Banpo-4 dong, Seocho-gu, close to the Seoul Palace Hotel, East of Seorae Maeul's main street - the Lycee Francais is on the other side of Seoraero.

Beyond the satisfaction of gourmet palates, the event serves a noble cause (helping the needy).

The Marche de Noel is organized by AFDE-Coree (Association Démocratique des Français à l'Etranger), an association headed by none other than Benjamin Joinau, who knows one thing or two about good food - make that at least two : Le StEx, La Plancha.

Seoul Village 2009