On the heels of the “Seoul Global Center”, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has designated six districts as “Global Villages.”
The Seoul metropolitan government Friday designated six “Global Villages” to provide various tailor-made services to foreigners living in the capital.
The villages are “Americatowns” in Itaewon-dong, Hannam-dong and Yeoksam-dong; a Chinatown in Yeonnam-dong; a “Francetown” in Seocho-dong; and “Japantown” in Ichon-dong.
It’s the first time for the local government to designate specific places for expatriates.
In each village, a foreigner-only community hall will be established and a selected foreigner will represent the community.
Most administrative documents, such as tax notices and public announcements, will be translated into several foreign languages for their convenience.
Public officers speaking foreign languages fluently will be dispatched to provide support on daily issues.
Specialized childcare programs for foreign workers will be available, together with bilingually staffed medical services.
Signboards in the districts will be written in foreign languages.
These are part of the local government’s efforts to transform Seoul into a “foreign-friendly” city.
Hmmm….wonder why the SMG left out the other major nationalities here, such as the Canadians, the Indians, and the Russians?
62 Comments
I think they figured that Canadians would feel right at home in Americatown, being Americans and all…
As long as they make a Francetown for the 1,526 French people in Korea (2006 census).
This is pure nonsense. They should really make Seoul and other cities people-friendly by cleaning up eye-sores (street banners, stickers on everything, and illegal signage) and enforcing some kind of law about this. Foreigners do not mind looking at signboards in Korean — they do mind looking at trash though.
#1
As an American I would very much prefer the Canadians be given their own reservation or tossed in w/ the frogs.
There is no end to the silly ideas Koreans come up with when trying to appeal to the foreigners about whom they know nothing.
Well I’m sure the intensions are good, I think it would be better to make the whole of Seoul/Korea friendly for everyone. This seems like it will separate people even further, by encouraging foreigners to live in the foreign areas.
Well, it’s not like Seoul is making no effort to make the city foreigner-friendly. And of course, in the long term, it’d be nice if everyone spoke fluent English at government agencies and other services, but that will take decades. This looks like a decent short-term solution to me.
Don’t they mean a ‘Franceville’? Oh, right. Koreans think that ‘ville’ is a fancy-schmancy word for ‘apartment’.
…or rather, ‘apartment complex’.
Isn’t this just the classic Korean way of dealing with foreigners, though? Which is not to figure out how Koreans and non-Koreans can better get along, but to segregate them further. This is no way to foster acceptance of other groups of people, openness to other ways of doing things, or devising ways to bring non-Koreans into Korean society, instead its just a way to isolate “the problem.” And, I seriously doubt that “Specialized childcare programs” has anything to do with providing affordable international education, which is what is really needed if foreign families are to stay in Korea for the long term.
At least they’re trying to be more “foreigner-friendly”. Also, just because a city has a “Chinatown” doesn’t mean that all its Chinese residents are obliged to live there.
The only thing I have an issue with is “Americatown” wtf.
Doesn’t America call the Korean village “Koreatown”?
this is a well intentioned and stupidly misguided idea.
It would be different if the government said that people coming into Korea from America or France had to live in specific areas. But, all the government is doing is providing language services in the areas that most likely need them. How is this a bad thing?
I’m sure that the American government finds itself having to hire Spanish speakers for certain jobs in certain communities. It just doesn’t bother to tell everyone that it considers these communities “global villages.”
I think once people get over the funny “global villages” name, they’ll get behind the idea.
I don’t see the problem. Walk in the front door of 용산구청 and on your right there’s a desk with a bored, semi-bilingual Korean guy sitting there, just hoping some helpless waeg will come in and give him something to do. He’s been there for 2 or 3 years already. Formalizing his role by calling Yongsan ‘Americatown’ and printing a few more forms in English seems like no big deal. It’s kinda nice, actually.
I don’t understand why some of the posters here are bitching about some lables the Government wants to place on certain towns.
I’ve been reading posts like this since around 1995 and one question I have for all of you who seem to complain about how the Koreans behave IN THEIR SOCIETY: WHY do you remain here if all you can do is bitch about why things aren’t the same here as they are in your home country?? If you don’t like it here in Korea, leave!!
We don’t need you here, you’re not really spending money to help our economy, and this is Korea, not America, so please stop trying to make Korea like America to suit your needs. True, some Koreans have adopted some American (and other Western) ways but they are not using that to change the entire Korean society.
I’ve lived here about 15 years and I love it. So what if things are different here than in my country of citizenship? I’m not there, now am I?
So I propose to you bitchers and whiners: acclimate and engross yourselves into Korean society as much as you can when you’re not working. Otherwise, finish your contract and leave the Land of the Morning Calm. Naga-nora!
Interesting how the Philippinos, Nepalese, Pakistanis, and other Asians in Incheon, Bucheon, Suwon, Ansan, and elsewhere get a combined total of ZERO global villages. Not surprising, but very telling.
OK, I have no problem with a new law which allows foreigners living in a community to apply to have their neighborhood designated as “foreignerTown, Korea,” etc. And, no problem with providing bilingual services either. But for the city government to try to influence settlement of foreigners, or allocate services to foreigners without their participation bothers me.
This smacks of a job creation scheme for bureaucrats.
Dokdoforever,
“Settlement of foreigners”? Wow. You’d think that part of the plan was to set up a wire fence.
Maybe it’s much better to have the old system: have a few people who speak English well enough to help me, but make sure that I never know which office they work in or how to contact them. That way, I can feel free of government control, no matter how subtle.
Slim,
There are lots of “job creation schemes” that make life better/easier/more hassle-free. Maybe this is one of them.
#16: globalvillageidiot, I think the allocations are based on language, not nationality, even though they chose stupid names for those ‘villages’. Non-American/French/Japanese people can just as easily take advantage of government services offered in foreign language too.
18, you’re looking at it completely the wrong way. this is not a job-creation scheme. whatever biases brought you to that conclusion, you should check them at the door. pure and simple, this is a dumb idea by bureaucrats who have no creativity and who, as other people above have pointed out, are incapable of seeing the forest for the trees. there are real problems that need solutions. this one doesn’t do anything.
has anyone seen the IBM ads running on espn.com and elsewhere these days. where the young guy tells the skeptical older guy about the wondersr of his avatar and the old guy says “yeah, but are you making any money with that avatar?”. brilliant piece that then guides you to http://www.ibm.com/do .
Sure jd -
If the Korean government only provides helpful services to foreigners in certain neighborhoods, that’s where many will live or move to, especially the newly arrived. Does it really make sense for ‘globalizing’ Korea to encourage foreigners to live apart from most Koreans? I don’t think so. The best way to remedy the Korean practice of treating foreigners like zoo animals is to get Koreans used to living with foreigners. Instead, they’re actually naming the zoos - where Koreans on safari can actually go to see foreigners behaving in their natural environments.
With Korea’s 45,000 Muslims and Islam being the fastest growing religion, the Seoul Metropolitan Government should create an “Islamatown.”
Hey what’s with all these negative waves? This is clearly a canny effort by the Korean government to anticipate the next American President’s inaugural worldwide “apology” tour; no doubt Korea is to be high in the top 5 list of priority destinations.
I can see even now her raised eyebrows and bright smile of approval, as she tours “Americatown” followed by hordes of trailing media. In a side comment she’ll explain how something like this never would have been possible under the “previous US administration”.
It was all anticipated in her book. It takes a village!
It’s only January, Paul, too early for such bitter sentiments. Perhaps you’ve forgotten about Senator Clinton chiding Koreans for “historical amnesia.”
I think Koreans have forgotten about that already, Sonagi.
Oh boy, ethno-national ghettos! Do we get to wear special insignia too? I’m partial to the international hazmat symbol, myself.
this should be received as it is—an obvious attempt to segregate the foreign population in the capital from Koreans. later this year, we’ll also get badges, specially designated areas on the bus and subway in which we are encouraged to sit, and a fence around “our town” for “our” protection.
segregation is a failed experiment. it breeds hate, fear, scorn, envy, distrust, and suspicion. this kind of crap will only degrade race relations in Korea and facilitate the construction of foreigner ghettos.
l) “It’s only January, Paul, too early for such bitter sentiments…”
Bitter? I would say “sardonic”, a sentiment is certainly not unknown to this forum. But not so sardonic that I would fail to doff my hat respectfully to your cheerful optimism.
I suppose I’m just a pale reflection of the insane obsession with continually moving up the American Presidential election primary process. Yes, now I think about it — hey, I’m just a victim here.
2) “Perhaps you’ve forgotten about Senator Clinton chiding Koreans for ‘historical amnesia.’”
Yup, I had. She’s certainly well-qualified to be a judge of that particular trait, no?
No more than any US government official who supported the invasion of Iraq.
Including the good Senator herself.
Yes, this is a bad ideal.
“In each village, a foreigner-only community hall will be established and a selected foreigner will represent the community.”
Has anyone even noticed this little discrimination toward Koreans? But you know, it’s all a conspiracy I tell you to force all foreigners into concentration camps. rolls eyes.
To those exhibiting such spleen toward this latest kind gesture by the Seoul muni gov’t, aren’t you also sickened by the K-towns in New York and LA that round up US Koreans and force them into these ethnic camps? How dare the Seoul mayor’s office try to make your lives easier! Itaewon? A foreigners’ neighborhood? Next stop the gas chambers! It’s downright dangerous. Citizens might hear a message that foreigners have a place in Korea, even that they’re to be accepted and treated with respect.
That last sentence is an interesting point “day4night” however there are better ways to do such. particularly in how one educates one’s children about the world at large.
Frankly, most foreigners accept being a stranger in a strange land and do not need idealistic constructs like a “village” and the construction of such reminds one too much of the Chosun Dynasty’s attitude towards foreigners, where they were kept pretty much in certain places.
When I read (from the Joongang Ilbo)
Perhaps this idea is a bit strange and forced. I can only wonder what an American festival or flea market would look like. Perhaps I could pick up a used handgun at the flea market or a used DVD of “Jackass 2″ there (?!).
How about just having a better Seoul, even if it seems awfully Korean to foreigners?
No more than any US government official who supported the invasion of Iraq.”
I suppose you are referring to the 2003 invasion, rather than the one at this link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B.....er_1998%29
(Undertaken during her husband’s second term; presumably it forms an important part of her claim of “experience”, in the event there will eventually be a need for our first female C in C to demonstrate her “robustness”.
Of course she hasn’t seen fit to say much about it in her current run for the Dem nomination; perhaps due to historical amnesia).
#36: “…I can only wonder what an American festival or flea market would look like. Perhaps I could pick up a used handgun at the flea market…”
Straw man. Only licensed federal firearms agents can legally transfer used handguns; the procedures for doing this vary from state to state but I don’t think there’s any US state that allows them at every day “flea markets”.
I think Elgin’s comment was some of that sardonic humor that is not unknown here at the Hole.
I noticed an article for an e-campaign to help multi-cultural families here in Korea. It looks very useful and more realistic, as well.
“Paul” dead-pan humour is not your forte. :o)
I reserve the right to flip my own “sardonic” gun settings on and off at will. In this case to “off”, in order not to allow such an assertion to go unchallenged amongst the gullible foreigners I always presume are here reading (”gullible” not in terms of sophistication, but rather in the sense they are ready and anxious to believe anything said about “American right-wing gun nuts” as long as it’s satisfyingly pejorative).
When I flip to “on”, it’s because I’m not worried about Hillary’s approval ratings overseas — one imagines they will remain at a heighth well above the reach of my own feeble anti-aircraft fire. Nevertheless, it’s important to keep firing — if only to try and keep up drooping conservative morale.
Which mayor/senator/representative, etc. gov’t designated Koreatown in NY or LA? Not one, if I recall correctly. No suggested/told/designated where Koreans or anyone else should live. Now if I’m wrong about that and there was a law passed that they can/should only live between ‘x and y’ streets, then I stand corrected.
Seoul is trying to do that, in this instance.
That’s the difference between the two, IMO.
Look. There is no attempt here to segregate anyone ala Alabama circa 1960. What the Korean government is trying to do is in its typical Korean government fashion, a clumsy way to create multiculturalism. They think they can create this by decreeing and planning like they do with their national industrial plans. What they just don’t understand is that multiculturalism like New York came about naturally. No-one planned it nor were there any designations.
Chalk it up to inexperience/ignorance with good intentions, but malicious intent is not.
@Paul,
I’m no fan of Hillary, either, and was going to try to cheer you up with predictions that Obama would win the nomination and the presidency but then thought the better of it.
Well, I for one thought the handguns at the American flea market quip was funny and on point. More realistically, maybe someone at the flea market will resell peanut butter from the Yongsan PX. If said flea market actually materializes… But anyway, R. Elgin, I completely agree that teaching children about the world at large is crucial, and I think that this is actually one of the villages’ goals. Seems like a one-eighty from the old Chosun ways; this is some services trying to address problems foreigners have, and also a kind of a celebration of overseas nationals in Korea. So I think it’s a positive development that should be welcomed. That people have negative, knee-jerk reactions I ascribe to the general stress and mild paranoia that’s maybe a natural side-effect of being a minority in an at times oppressive environment. I know that it’s happened to me before…
Lana: No need to worry; the Seoul gov’t isn’t telling anyone where to live. That would be terrible. Also, the hangul street signs on 32nd in Manhattan weren’t scribbled there by some kid with a white Sharpie; there had to be some kind of government ordinance… Also Koreatown in LA is an official neighborhood.
Paul H.: Just for fun, say hello to my little video!
And here’s another…
(Oh, on a stupider note, what am I doing wrong with the darn Gravitar? I have an account, a p/w, a pic, but no dice? Duhh….)
I agree with cm.
#21,
Yeah, right. Linguistic. I guess you’ve never had someone shout at you, “Speak American!”.
If I were into the whole “multiculturalism” thing (which I’m not), I’d probably be more excited about the whole thing. Malicious intent it certainly is not.
You’re a Long Islander who wears a hanbok and married a Mongolian….how much more multiculti can you get? Pretty fly for a white guy, says I.
BTW, Itteawon is ‘Americatown’? I’m sure all the foreign diplomats who live in that area must really love that idea.
Not too many diplomats live in Itaewon, but nearby Hannam-dong, also designated as an Americatown, is Seoul’s equivalent of Embassy Row.
I don’t know about you folks, but I’m in the running to be the first mayor of Itaewon. Who wants to join my campaign staff?
At the point where people are talking about a city’s attempt to make public services available in languages other than Korean in locations that are convenient and accessible as if they were concentration camps or, in certain milder comments, Indian reservations, one can easily note the tendency of a lot of people here to overreact to almost everything.
Before I actually read the article, I thought the Seoul gov’t was going to re-create the Polish ghettos or something. Did I seriously see a reference to Nazi’s Yellow Star for Jews up there? Pop a Lunesta and get a good night’s sleep for Christ’s sake.
Look, I already said I agree with cm’s comment 100%. If that’s my reaction, I’m sure there are plenty of “expats” who agree as well.
Straw man. Only licensed federal firearms agents can legally transfer used handguns; the procedures for doing this vary from state to state but I don’t think there’s any US state that allows them at every day “flea markets”.
Gun shows, not flea markets:
http://www.mlive.com/columns/a.....amp;coll=2
There is an economics term called “clustering” which is easily observed and widespread in Korea — jewelry shops in Chongno-3-ga, pharmacies in Chongno-4-ga, printing shops in Ulchiro-3-ga, etc. It is an efficient way for people in a particular industry to work and communicate with each other.
This whole concept of “towns for expats” strikes me as another example of the Korean love for clustering. But it strikes me as rather too top-down and instrumentalized (and thus rather distasteful), whereas as many have observed neighborhoods like It’aewon are themselves quite multicultural — thus making them essentially “unclusterable” on their own terms.
#44 Sonagi: “….was going to try to cheer you up with predictions that Obama would win the nomination and the presidency but then thought the better of it.”
If the mandate of heaven is such that we’re going to have a Democratic President — then for pity’s sake let it be Obama.
BTW, the main drag of Hannam-dong clearly targets the Japanese market and many shops signs there are in hiragana or Japanese script.
Any conspiracy theories on why it might be in the Seoul gov’t’s interest to suddenly label it an “American” town?
The very act of naming a particular cluster is an inherently political act.
#51,
I thought down the hill when you turn left after the Hanam bridge was in Iteawon.
shops –> shop
I don’t believe there’s any desire on the part of the government to control the foreign element in this instance. I honestly think they were, in their own seemingly amateurish fashion, attempting to assist. Access to a more foreigner friendly and broader information network wouldn’t be a bad thing. Having childcare would certainly help. It’s a little late in my situation cause my daughter is now in school but it would be a long overdue boon nonetheless. It might help if they made it available to the natives here.
What they label these places is of little concern to me. If they want to call the area where I live Little Tijuana is really not of any concequence. Well, actually, I’d kinda like it.
Smart actually. Koreans never make the effort to fit in with the rest of the world, and will seek to isolate themselves at any cost from reality while pretending that they are actually cosmopolitan. This is the perfect solution to continue the self deception.
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