SEOUL, KOREA - April 1, 2001
The Millenium Gate monument to Seoul has been scrapped. For the last year or so, there has been serious talk about building a monumental symbol of Seoul. It was an engineering feat to outdue anything done anywhere else in the world. The plan was to build an incredible large (measurements unsure), but it was to be a percectly circular structure, like a giant ring, which would possibly be as high as a 10-20 story building (completely uncertain the exact dimensions). The plan was to build it for the World Cup next year, but apparently the idea has been set aside mostly in due to the economic situaion, and the engineering impossibility of it. There were very large talks and hopes of it becoming the Eiffel Tower-like stucture of Seoul, so all of the world would know it. I had seen many computer generated images of it often shown in the newspapers. Unfortunately, the idea is now history.
The other big thing about Korea right now is the dramatically decreasing Korean currency against the US Dollar. The Korean Won is depreciating rapidly these days. Many tie it to Japan's Yen which is also declining just as quickly. There seems to be a general pessimism and sad tone in the air of Korea never being able to recover economically. In many of my classes, people are thinking more and more of emigration for their own personal security and stability within their career and home life. There seems to be a general pessimism and uncertainty about the future for Korea and its people.
Also, last night while I was in Shinchon, outside the front gates of Yonsei University. Thousands and thousands of young Koreans marched in the streets protesting the layoffs of thousands of Daewoo employees, (Daewoo is a Korean car company that is completely falling apart in every possible way). Daewoo company has had to layoff thousands of employees and resturcture its company in every possible way to survive whatever little chances it has. Traditionally in Korea, companies have always taken care of their employees for a lifetime, so now many of its lifetime faithful employees have found themselves out-of-work. So students by the thousands came out to demonstrate against the government and against the layoffs. I was actually in Shinchon at the time, and the military riot police also came out by the thousands to try to control the situation. I looked down one street, and just saw an endless stream of riot police helmets abreadst and endless running in full speed at the protesters. They were running from as far as I could see up the street, endlessly, I couldn't believe that image in my mind. Most of the conflicts were outside of Yonsei, but from where I was watching at the side of the street, I saw a few older men (possibly former Daewoo employees), throw some rocks into the crowd and then they ran as quick as they could away from them. Fortunately where I was standing was not the center of the clashes, as the riot control police were rushing and ignoring anyone along their more serious destination outside the immediate front gates of Yonsei University.
One last thing, I 'd like to say is about President Kim Dae-Jung, the South Korea President. He has serious work ahead of him in light of the Korean ecomony eroding away and the fierce opposition that he faces due to the United State's Bush Administration. Now with Bush making a strong statement that he distrusts and dislikes North Korea, and his strong disinterest in any peace processes within the Korean peninsula, now Kim Dae-Jung has to try to go forward with the peace processes on his own accord. Fortunately, the European Union has alot of interest in continuing the good relations between the two Koreas, and more and more other countries are stepping in and trying to restore the positive momentum of opening trade and relations with North Korea that was begun before President Bush made an entrance and completely destroyed all the positive progress made between the two countries.
Next Journal Entry in Seoul:
April 20, 2001
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Wintermoon2@yahoo.com