Lately I have noticed that the numbers of homeless at Yongdongpo seem to be increasing - perhaps it is because of the cold and the approach of winter, but I have also noticed some living under the over-passes near the highway. This is not a negative comment directed at Korea - every country has them [hell, if I am not careful I might be there with them], but prior to IMF I don’t really remember that many of them. It almost seems like there are more now than during the IMF period. I have also noticed that the types of homeless seems to be changing - I am seeing a lot more elderly people living in the subway/train station, and also a larger number of women. I know that a church group helps this particular group of homeless by providing them with food at night and sometimes handing out blankets. I remember that the government had established a “camp” [my word - not sure what a better word would be] for these homeless people, but I wonder what exactly the government is doing for these people - anyone know?
Like many of the homeless here (I am sure the same could be said for the United States), a lot of the stations in Tokyo have large groups of homeless that dwell within the station sleeping in great masses on the stairs or in makeshift houses of cardboard just outside the station. This last time that I was in Japan was the first time I saw the Japanese police rousing the homeless and making them leave the station - not sure why they did it, or whether it is a new campaign, but it was different to walk down through the vast undreground walkways without seeing more than one or two homeless. I think that for the most part the homeless in Japan are left unmolested, pretty much the same way for Yongdongpo, although occasionally the railroad police throw them out of the station, usually just before the stores open.
Most of these people in the station tend to stay as drunk as possible and do very little active begging. I have seen others on the subway, usually they are certified (at least I think they are) by the government and have the right to beg on the subway. Some are blind, others are obviously mentally challenged, others are school-age children that live in a home and are seeking donations to keep their home going. Perhaps the worst I saw was a woman who claimed to have been sexually molested by her minister and had painted red crosses all over her body and clothing - she was definitely out there. My question is, and this is just out of curiosity because I have asked all my Korean friends - do you donate any money to these people? If so how much and to who do you give the money to? What about the elderly ladies selling the gum - do you buy from them?
I have also seen some foreigners begging - mainly in Itaewon, but also in the Hongdae area (but that was quite some time ago) - any thoughts?
8 Comments
Few things I can think of:
1) bad economy
2) continued razing of “dal-dongnae’s” (shanty towns) with lack of support for those who can’t afford to move out.
3) unaffordable housing (despite the latest deflated real estate market)
4) rising number of mentally ill, alcholic, and drug addicts.
“Yongdongpo”? (X)
Take your pick:
Y?´ngd??ngp’o (Yongdungpo)
Yeongdeungpo
(Affectionately yours.)
I would blame George Bush–see Opinion Journal’s Best of the Web Homeless Watch: http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/
“I would blame George Bush”
Exactly… only when we elect democrats will the homeless problem disappear (or go into remission until the next GOP Prez).
“I know that a church group helps this particular group of homeless by providing them with food at night and sometimes handing out blankets.”
That might be Dail Church, but it’s possibly a different one since Yongdongpo is not close to Jeongnongdong, where Dail Church is located.
Those interested in more information might like to know that Dail Church cares for the poor and the homeless by running a House of Sharing, which provides free food and free shelter, and an Angel Hospital, which provides free medical care.
Dail Church was founded by Pastor Choi Il-Do in 1988/89 as an outreach to the homeless, the poor, and the elderly without children to support them. Pastor Choi wrote his memoirs about his experiences in founding and running Dail Church and its various services and outreach programs:
??œ??¼???: ?°??§“??” ??œ??¸ ??¼??¼??” ?????‘. ??œ??¸?ª???? ??œ??¼?????? ????????¤??´ ??¸????°¾?¸°.
Published in 1995, the book was a bestseller in Korea. Pastor Choi wants to publish it in the United States, so my wife (Sun-Ae Hwang) has translated it, and I’m currently proofreading it for her.
For those interested in learning more about the Dail Church, please visit the blog of Dail English Pastor Aaron Krueger:
http://dailkorea.blogspot.com/
Those proficient in Korean (not I) can visit the official Dail Church website:
http://www.dailchurch.org
Dail Church welcomes any support and assistance, of course, so if anyone wishes to help, please visit the websites establish contact via email.
Jeffery Hodges
Sorry, WJK, you’re talking through your hat - your facts are all wrong.
1 - Korea has 3.4% unemployment.
2 - Korea has no social welfare system to speak of
3 - Korean tax rate - 7 %
What in the lord were you talking about?
Well it seems kind of strange because today there has been all kinds of news about the homeless. At Sobu Station (Seoul Station area) a charity group handed out 800 sets of clothes - long underwear, pants and jackets. There are various groups through the city raising money for the poor and several other reports that I didn’t catch enough of to give a full account. It is nice that something is being done, but then again, what can you expect - it’s Christmas.
3.4% unemployment? Ha… That’s a way of seeing things. Another way is to count only the people who get their dole (three months), and others looking actively for a job. And even then, I can’t remember the monthly threshold beyond which you are considered employed, but it’s a very low number of hours…
Tax rate 7%..? If you mean the income tax, wrong again. There is definitely not ONE income tax rate. When in Korea, until recently, I paid about:
14.87% Income tax
1.49% Resident tax (10% of income tax)
1.81% Health Insurance
2.04% National Pension (what a joke!)
There were a few odds and ends on top of that, for a grand total of 21.3%. So 7% indeed would’ve been nice!
Actually, the income tax starts at ‘zero’. zero% income tax on salaries up to 1 million won. then it goes slowly ?€“ first, and then faster - up, by slices of 100,000 won. ?œ??¨…??³ publishes a booklet every year to help accountants calculate the income tax. Believe me, it is not even remotely connected to that 7% fairy tale, and I surely wish it were that simplistic…