Changing Seoul for more foreign friendly

This is a well written statement about making Seoul more foreign friendly. I hope, based on the given statistics (http://blog.naver.com/korea_brand/10086193376), Seoul will be friendlier than ever. I am presenting the very same text for disseminate to make informed decision among foreigners.

According to the recent statistics of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of foreign residents of Seoul is estimated at around 250,000 taking up 2.5% of Seoul’s total population. This is an increase by 100,000 people within the last 3 years – a stupendous increase, indeed. This signifies just how fast Seoul is turning into a global and multicultural city. Then how satisfied are the over 250,000 international residents living in Seoul? According to the survey conducted in November 2009 on foreigners who had been living in Seoul for more than one year, their degree of satisfaction scored 3.8 out of 5 points, which is an increase for three consecutive years. But of course, there are things to be improved. To that end, Seoul city has launched the “Happy City Project” which includes various support programs for foreigners in communication, multiculturalism, solving everyday problems and obstacles, and so on. The project focuses on 15 foreigner-dense areas designated as “Global Zones” which include the Seoul City Hall area, Yeoksam, Samsung, Yeouido, Ichon, Itaewon, Hannam, Yeonnam, Seorae Village, Myeongdong, Insadong, Namdaemun, Dongdaemun, etc. Also the construction of the “Global Cluster Building” will begin in May, which will include a one-stop help center for foreigners and chamber of commerce offices of various countries. The “Global Business Help Center” will open in mid-May in COEX with the aim to help foreigners set up small to medium-sized businesses in Korea. And the on-site consultation service, where a batch of staff visits areas with high concentrations of foreigners, will be further streamlined.

Last January, 14 additional multicultural family support centers opened in Seoul, which makes a total of 20 such centers. A web site (http://mcfamily.seoul.go.kr) designed to provide information on Seoul city and job vacancies for foreign spouses was launched in five languages including Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, English and Korean. A support center for migrant workers has also been operating, providing Korean-language classes that put focus on industrial site-related vocabulary. There is also the International Student Forum, and the foreign students support desks at major universities that provide counseling and information on Korea for international students. Various cultural performances will take place in Mugyo-dong “Global Street” near the Seoul City Hall, and flea markets for foreigners will be held at the Seoul Folk Flea Market in Sinseol-dong. Furthermore, the Seoul Help Center for Foreigners is going to sponsor 16 foreign community festivals including the Mongolian Naadam Festival and the Irish Folk Dance Festival. For medical services, the current 11 medical centers for foreigners will be expanded to 17 by 2012, and a Global Open Health Center will be launched in Yeongdeungpo-gu and Geumcheon-gu districts in May, where treatments for pregnant women and infants from multicultural families will be provided.

In terms of public transportation, sign panels will be furnished in a number of foreign languages at every subway station, and so will the Seoul city subway map. Also, 26 administrative forms frequently filled out by foreigners will be translated into Chinese and Japanese in addition to English and Korean. Tax notices, too, will have its contents written in both Korean and English. Likewise, Seoul city is making efforts to create a truly global Seoul that is a wonderful city not only for Koreans, but for all the foreign residents and visitors in it as well!

A Visit to Seoul (Series 1/100)

Some hundreds of years ago, a young scholar who lived in a remote village married a woman from Kwachon. After the wedding ceremony, he went to live with the bride’s family. His father, worried about his son, said to him, “There is only one hill separating Kwachon and Seoul. When you arrive in Kwachon, you must take care never to visit Seoul.”

“Why not, father?” the young scholar asked.

“If you set eyes on a bustling, flourishing capital city, your mind will become unstable and you will be unable to concentrate on your studies. Please promise that you will remember this.”

The scholar was a devoted son, and he always did whatever his father asked of him. Therefore, he promised that he would follow his instructions, and left for his wife’s house.

After he had been living there for some time, however, it occurred to him that it would be a shame not to go and visit Seoul, since it was so close by. He felt that if he did not go and see Seoul then, he would be unlikely to have the chance to do so in the future. Therefore, in spite of his father’s advice, he climbed over the hill and made his way to Seoul.

Once on the other side, however, he felt so uncomfortable going against his father’s wishes that he turned back to Kwachon after reaching the South Gate.

When he returned to his wife’s house, however, he reasoned with himself that it would be acceptable for him to go Seoul provided that he could keep it a secret from his father. Again, on the next day, he made his way as far as the South Gate. However, he again remembered what his father had said to him, and being unable to pass further, went back to his wife’s house.

He repeated this several times, going to the South Gate in the morning and then returning to Kwachon. A soldier on guard at the gate thought the scholar’s actions suspicious and reported him to the authorities. He was arrested and interrogated by the head of the police.

“Why do you appear at the South Gate every day? What are you planning to do?”

The timid scholar replied in a faltering voice.

“I recently moved to Kwachon after getting married, and had never been so close to Seoul before. It was my father’s words that made me behave in this way.”

“Your father’s words? Explain what you mean.”

The scholar related the whole story, and begged the officer to pardon him.

“Since I could neither break my promise to my father nor abandon my wish to see Seoul, I walked back and forth in front of the South Gate every day.”

The officer saw that the scholar was a devoted son, and said, “Unless you yourself had told your father, nobody would have known about your coming to Seoul. But you kept your promise nevertheless, out of devotion to your parents. This is conduct worthy of a true son, and you deserve to be rewarded. Since you are already in Seoul, please take the opportunity to see the city, and then go back to your hometown.”

The young scholar was rewarded by the officer and taken on a tour of the city by a military escort, before returning home to his wife. He eventually told his father what had happened, and related all he had seen in detail. Later, he passed the state examination and rose to become prime minister.

Seoul - A path towards multi cultural city

During a year stay, I found, Korea, the land of morning calm, is warmly welcoming country towards foreigners. Citizens behave in their highest order of respect toward foreigners and always ready to extend helping hand as and when needed.
Seoul, a global and cosmopolitan city, consists of more than 10 million populations. At present about 2.2 percent of its population are based on foreigners. And the inbound foreign tourists in Korea are about 6 million annually and most of them visit Seoul including other part of the Korea like Busan, Deagu etc.
Every tangible and non tangible entity changes with time to keep it alive. Seoul as a city is also needed certain change to be more friendly to foreigners. This article emphasizes on city’s foods the most basic need of the human being with special reference to the foreigners. Korea’s foods are not only delicious but also possess high level of nutrients. However, most of the Korean foods usually contain meat, which are not Halal. Halal is an Arabic term meaning “permissible”, it refers to food that is permissible by Islamic law. This piece of writing focuses on why halal food in Seoul is advantageous to city government and how it can be done within its purview. It is notable that presently the halal food stuffs and restaurants are located in Itaewan.
It is tough to estimate the halal food consumers among the foreign residents and tourists in Seoul. However, the number will be significantly high around 15-20 percent among them. Beside this the Korean Government’s policies towards Arab countries as well as Arab countries’ policies toward Korea due to its emergence in global economy, would surely extend the number of halal food consumers in Seoul.
A city is not limited to the physical expansion in the form of blocks and towers, but a place to accommodate multiple cultures, thoughts, civilizations, and grow in a pluralistic dimension, especially the cities which are political, economical, and cultural capital of country like Seoul.
Around the globe, things are immensely changing, for example, multinational companies associated with fast food or restaurants chains are also projecting themselves as a producer of halal food stuffs like halal burger, halal pizza and so on. The halal food markets are working globally, for example, in US, UK, Canada, Australia etc. In the same way cities can also project themselves for a place where anyone can satisfy with their need and most importantly their basic need like food. Truly speaking, this type of problem is not significant in other part of the world as in Seoul. The Indian cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi etc, for example, have no problem of halal food because India got this system from their inheritance. Against it, Korea doesn’t possess, it is very new for Muslim and their culture. However, the Korean Government policies toward east will definitely change the pattern in near future. Therefore there is need to understand the emerging dynamics and to explore and adopt it to enhance city’s performance on these parameters.
But now question is how it could be advantageous to city government. First, it would enhance its face value towards pro-halal consumers. It is worth to note that Muslim populations are about 1.6 billion (about 20-25 percent of world population) which only consume halal food and beside that this can be equally consumed by natives too. Secondly, a tourist can extend their stay in Seoul if they will get culturally acceptable food which will definitely enhance tourism economy. Thirdly, halal food market is emerging market either in the form of informal sector or small market; the city government can enhance economy by expanding halal food market in Seoul and its vicinity.
Now the next question arises within the purview of City’s government how it can be expanded. The City government can facilitate to channelize it in Seoul. It can be done by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Muslim organization of Korea, like Korea Muslim Federation. The City government can provide some incentive for keeping halal food stuff in selected city based daily need existing shops. Seoul government can promote some Korean restaurants as a hub for halal restaurant which will prove Seoul as a sacred place for halal food consumer which will enhance it on tourism perspective.
In the same way, Seoul is also educational hub of not only Korea but it is also emerging Asian educational hub. This system can be implemented in Universities too. Almost all of the universities have from a couple to dozens of cafeterias. The university can dedicate a restaurant to serve only halal meats and vegetables. It is worth to note that in Korean Universities have cafeterias and not attached dining hall system against Indian Universities and in general students have no choice to cook but to eat at cafeteria. If it is not possible to dedicate one cafeteria for halal food then at least part of one restaurant can be easily dedicated to halal foods and vegetables. By doing the same, the Korean Universities can cope cultural differences and attract more students especially from Arab countries. This article is based on perception and some interviews with halal food consumer. An in-depth research can be conducted on the modalities of halal food market in Seoul. I am well convinced that it will add a new dimension to Seoul in socio-cultural and religious besides providing an economical opportunity to Seoul government.