Comments on: Better Living Through Technology?

By: dogbert

dogbert — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 04:50:32 +0000

http://www.congnamul.com

By: naengmyun

naengmyun — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 04:19:26 +0000

So where exactly is this new tech. city to be built? anyone have a map?

By: gbnhj

gbnhj — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 16:44:56 +0000

Songdo ought to be compared to Milton Keynes, not Brasilia. Brasilia was created out of an attempt to balance political regionalism, while Milton Keynes represented an attempt to further develop the way in which people live. Incidentally, as time has shown, Milton Keynes didn’t suceed in that attempt.

By: JYC

JYC — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 16:21:06 +0000

I have never been to Brasilia but I have heard that one of the principal causes of its unpopularity is that it was designed entirely around the automobile, which at the very least, I think will not be true about this place. I’m sure you’ve all seen pictures of Brasilia’s architecture, which is quite nice, and I think maybe even got a nod from UNESCO, so it wouldn’t necessarily be completely terrible to have buildings a bit like Brasilia.

By: virtual wonderer

virtual wonderer — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 11:11:37 +0000

Judge, some of what you say is true. But that has always been true for the past 50 years for South Korea, if not worse. It just seems that investors, foreign or domestic, prefers to put money where the prospect for growth is high, taking into account for risk. China and Malaysia, for example have the same exact problems you list and to a even worse degree.

I think the determing factor is and has always been price. China, Malaysia, Thailand may all offer lower risks(a point I disagree with), but neither are they offering higher techonology or educated workforce.

By: oranckay

oranckay — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 10:31:22 +0000

I lived in Oakland for 16 years and can tell you that yes, it was about Oakland that Gertrude Stein said “no there there,” and I also agree with commenter above that it’s much more true of Los Angeles. Sacramento isn’t really there at all.

By: judge judy

judge judy — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 08:24:47 +0000

it could be grand, but korea is still extremely unstable. let’s not forget about conflict with or absorption of north korea, the ever darkening shadow of china, low-level english capability, extremely low birth rate (read labor shortage and limited tax/consumer base in the near future), xenophobia (causing difficulty obtaining skilled foreign labor in the near future) and a twenty year future pension system plan that is either in deep stealth mode or expected to run on magic.

why would foreign investors put money here instead of somewhere like thailand, malaysia, singapore or even china for that matter? they’re all more stable or better able to absorb instability than south korea, and their respective price competitiveness is much better.

By: R.elgin

R.elgin — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 06:44:33 +0000

Yes Kimbob but I will believe improvement has come to the way things are done here when I see it with my own eyes. The cultivation of public awareness and enlightenment is a tricky thing to forecast anywhere especially when it depends upon the growth of many seemingly minor details. It is precisely these little details that the grand and great ideas rest upon.

By: EXSeoulman

EXSeoulman — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 05:55:45 +0000

ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

By: kimbob

kimbob — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 04:44:44 +0000

I’m very optomistic about this city. It won’t be the flashy technology that will be impressive. It will be the fact that a Korean city finally gets good schools, good hospitals, good buildings, and good world class businesses that attracts talented people from everywhere in the world. It will be the fact that openess to new ideals from the outside will be a catylist to start off similiar drives to be globalized for the rest of the main land. I keep hearing comparisons with Brazilia, but look at the differences in geographic locations and competetive economic systems of Brazil and Korea. There is no comparison. Songdo City will be a smashing success that will put Korea on the world map for the first time.