|
Forced Eviction in Central Seoul |
|||||||||
| What is affected |
|
||||||||
| Type of violation |
Forced eviction Dispossession/confiscation Privatization of public goods and services |
||||||||
| Date | 01 January 2008 | ||||||||
| Region | A [ Asia ] | ||||||||
| Country | Korea South | ||||||||
| Location | Yongsan or Youngsan-Gu, Seoul | ||||||||
|
Affected persons |
|
||||||||
| Proposed solution | |||||||||
| Details |
SKorea_Yongsan09.doc |
||||||||
| Development | |||||||||
| Forced eviction | |||||||||
| Costs | |||||||||
| Privatization of public goods and services | |||||||||
| Land Losses | |||||||||
| Housing Losses | |||||||||
| Water | |||||||||
| Sanitation | |||||||||
| Energy | |||||||||
| Other | |||||||||
|
Duty holder(s) /responsible party(ies) |
|
||||||||
| Brief narrative |
Excerpt from "The Deadly Face of Development: Struggle Against Forced Evictions in Korea" 3 February 2009 found at http://www.indymedia.org/fr/2009/02/920422.shtml `Yong-san4ga is a neighborhood located in central Seoul, nestled between the Han river to the south and a US army base to the north. Real estate anywhere around central Seoul is very high, and the land speculation caused by the anticipated US base relocation has made the area especially attractive to investors. Samsung, Posco, and Daelim, three of Korea`s powerful "chaebols", or international conglomerates, received the development rights to "Yongsan Newtown". They will make an expected 4 billion US dollars in profits from the redevelopment and sale of the land, while the compensation given to most shop owners wasn`t enough to relocate their business an start anew. "Those who come to the District Office demanding the ridiculous won`t be treated as democratic citizens, please have some restraint." (banner hung by the Yongsan District Chairman criticizing the residents protesting their eviction) For over a year, tenants living in the re-development area requested the Yongsan District Office to provide the temporary housing and appropriate protection, but were denied opportunities for discussion or negotiation. During this process, private security personnel hired by the redevelopment cooperative threatened residents, vandalizing stores and homes, even sexually harassing them. One business owner lost his customers after rotten fish was repeatedly placed near his restaurant. However, the police took no action against the construction thugs. Out of the original 890 tenants, 763 abandoned their homes or businesses due to the thugs` violence and pressure from the Redevelopment Cooperative.` | ||||||||
| Costs | € 0 | ||||||||
In additional to its Global Program, HLRN operates the Habitat International Coalition program in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA), as well as emerging regional initiatives in other regions. Contact HLRN at:
Coordination Office, Middle East/North Africa (MENA)Regional Program:
4 Sulaiman Abaza St., 3rd Floor, Muhandisin, Cairo, Egypt
Tel/Fax: +20 (0)2 3762–8617
Tel/Fax: +20 (0)2 3762–8617
UN Liaison Office:
15 Rue des Savoises, Boite 98, Geneva 1205, Switzerland
Tel: +41 (0)79 503¬–1485
Tel: +41 (0)79 503¬–1485
E-mail: hlrn@hlrn.org
hic-mena@hic-mena.org
Web: www.hlrn.org
www.hic-mena.org
© 2021 All rights reserved to HIC-HLRN -Disclaimer
