Spiegel Online has time and again, we ventured to explain Korea. For the experiment, it is said, as always, thank, but also many observations are correct there. Moreover, the mere presentation of Seoul as existing on the widely read German side is positive. But not if we once again experienced that the author has no idea of the city, or get on his research trip just the usual things has shown. I'll just comment on the original plays a few things. Of course I'm biased as a consultant to the city of Seoul a little (cough) I do not want to conceal.
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/ NOTE cynicism /
. Green, green, Seoul
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22 million people live in Seoul - for decades a juggernaut, gray and full of cars. But city planners are developing here is a lot of money for the city of the future: green, healthy and happy with big dreams.
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First of all, not 22 million people live in Seoul. In Seoul, some live more than 10 million people in the province of Gyeonggi drumrum you might find the other 12 million, in well-organized, well planned cities with the latest infrastructure and good air quality.
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can learn the West in South Korea, as does the eco-renovation of a Mega City?
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No he can not, because Seoul has a very different history and buildings as European cities. In addition, there is no city in Europe that is as large as Seoul. The same applies to the United States. If the west with even Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro are meant: No, can not learn from these cities because they are in a very different stage of development and such projects can not lift. Point.
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like a revolutionary or-gooder does not Kim Ki Ho straight. The graying college professor from Seoul smiles a lot while talking. Jacket and tie are properly seated, the peak also. He speaks in a low voice, and promotes patient for his ideas. But what he says is downright subversive. "Is going to foot a feeling of freedom," says Kim. And because life in Seoul with freedom "has nothing to do", is the high school teachers on the offensive. He wants his city to make this massive structure of asphalt, cars and pollution, human again.
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How nice. These old professors who still mourn their German town times. Ensure that there is no freedom, seems to be well enough Professor salary was to begin working in the middle of the Moloch.
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Kim wants a free and pedestrian city of Seoul. A truly cataclysmic plan.
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One can at Hangang already 60 km walk without once having to stop. Pedestrian zones? Myeong-dong, Insa-dong, Mok-dong Myeong-dong is, etc. But I think a larger pedestrian area as they have among the most European cities. Purchasing Quality has nothing to do with pedestrian privilege. Kudamm and Koe are also beautiful shopping streets.
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The word of the 57-year-old has weight. The professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Seoul is a kind of eminence grise.
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Ah Here it is again. A city with "22 million" residents, and only one university! No wonder that since the big problems are. I'm assuming that he is a professor at the Seoul National University. Incidentally, of all the universities that I've seen the world, by far the most extensive ever with the greenest campus.
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He studied architecture in Aachen and Urban Development, he is internationally renowned expert in his field, and he designs in a Planning Commission at City Hall visions for survival in the mega city. And he has managed to be heard. The metropolis of more than 22 million people nearly choked on their growth, but this year it presents itself as a model for a change. As the "World Design Capital", the second in Turin 2008, will she a model and the "innovation center of the future". Seoul is beautiful and green design and serve as a key for it. Not always new glittering facades are required, but pedestrian boulevards and traffic calming measures. An experiment that could be groundbreaking for other mega-cities of Jakarta and Mexico City.
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Ah, there we have the mega-cities of the West, Jakarta and Mexico City. Indonesia's mineral resources by the way, despite a per capita income of almost exactly one tenth of Korea. Of course, is exactly the right comparison!
The change in direction is urgently needed to Seoul. Nearly half the 48.5 million South Koreans now lives here in one of the largest urban centers in the world. The clock in the boiling pot is determined by an unchanging pulse of tireless activity and hectic noise from early morning until late at night.
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Yes, this is called the economic center, as I have not heard in other cities around the world different. This can not of course in the closing paradise understand. And even the claim that half of Korea in Seoul live is not real by repetition. There are people inside the commute from the suburbs of Seoul, there is the counter-movement. You simply can not fully incorporate Gyeonggi-do Seoul.
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Seoul's traffic, Seoul is predatory. Vehicles to pedestrians. More than 2.5 million cars are registered in the capital alone, tens of thousands of buses and hardly to be counted motorcycles and scooters, the crowds move through the city. "Life here is a struggle," says the young political scientist Kang Bo Ra. "An hour of walking is like a pack of cigarette smoke," said urban development researchers Bahk Hyun Chan.
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captured good comments. No wonder you are a journalist, I know that the way tens of thousands of buses are not necessarily a bad sign. Would it be better if the tens of thousands buses only a few hundred and people would fortieth to hang on a truck in India?
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'Stroll is a very beautiful word in many languages is not really ", says expert Kim. "Especially not in Korean."
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Yes, there are many words that do not exist in other languages. For example Pungnyu as a term for loose living, in harmony with nature, art and pleasure.
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The university professor will therefore be given the last is not necessarily wegsanierten Old Town district. Not only because of its more than 600 years of history, but also because of the old, not ground roadworthy streets. He wants Also more and better sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, one-way streets, pedestrian zones, bike paths.
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is nothing compared to object. The 600 year old history is another thing, most of the quarter, which are simply wegsaniert the way here in Gongdeok are refugee district in the 60s and 70s, in which was until now done nothing, little worth preserving. The situation is different in places like Seochon or Bukchon. 'd Like to see what you said a Brazilian, when a professor says that the favelas are so cute, purely because there can be no large cars.
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grassroots democracy still a foreign word.
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Yes, computer is still a foreign concept, but it does use it anyway. How good that we regulate everything in Germany on a democratic basis. And that we approve of basic democratic decisions, such as in Switzerland unconditionally. Good thing we do not see that it was probably in Korea are similar to many popular votes as in Germany and especially at higher levels. Even intra-party democracy based on party days is at least as controversial topic of discussion; after all, there are several candidates to choose from in Korea and also a presidential candidate is not ausgeklüngelt in back rooms.
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Professor Kim is the head of the Citizens' Initiative Dosi Yonda, which roughly means "Union for a pedestrian-friendly city."
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No, it does not. It's called "Union for the city" or "Union City". And is the correct romanization for the term "Dosi Yeondae. Since we received demonstrated time and again why the abolition of diacritical marks in transliteration is better, but keep a jumble and the common use to no good.
This is remarkable in itself for Korea, where specified by the end of the eighties or the military, the tone of political and grassroots democracy is a foreign concept to this day.
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Oh No, there are NGOs in Korea! And not just for cities but for every conceivable topic.
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but still found the open ear of Mayor Oh Se Hoon, 49, and that Seoul is a kind of ecological cosmetic surgery is prescribed as a surprise.
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is not at all surprising, and the mirror-author reveals why even at the end: Oh, is even environmental lawyers and activists have been, it was clear that this is his main theme. He has made it an election campaign. Surprisingly, perhaps, is that he has kept his promise.
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"We must find a new balance," says Oh. The city will again become a "harmonious "Are for work, people and nature. For too long the environmental economic interests had been sacrificed. Now we stand in a" regionally significant turning point ".
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true.
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Oh likes to talk about his . vision of Seoul as a "soft city" in which the creative industries are at home, culture and urban development play a new role and live people to not only work, he is convinced that "Design has the power to make the world better." inside out why it to the city.
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You might have the entire article should be only talking Oh, now the third paragraph without objection on my part.
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Design Center with green spaces
The 85,000-square-meter site of the former Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium, which was surrounded by hundreds of small tailor shops and laundry rooms, to be built for at least 250 million dollars a modern center for fashion and design. The core will be a spaceship-like monster made of steel and glass with conference and event rooms, fashion schools and exhibition space, the designers of the British star architect Zaha Hadid.
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The monster is like any other modern building in the world of steel and glass, but above all it is overgrown with greenery, fits into the environment, raises Differences between inside and outside, top and bottom.
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Another centerpiece is a large park that will crowd out the seemingly endless car flows from the center. For South Korea's previously prosperous metropolis ruthlessly that are totally new perspective.
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What, what, where? What is meant? Yongsan?
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defect rather than the current Seoul area grew in width, especially in the height at which asparagus-shaped residential towers drab, close together: a city had become a nightmare of glass, steel and concrete.
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Trist are the residential towers, the same old design also no question. They are close to densely partially built, the larger complexes are located in large well-kept gardens. Whether Seoul is a nightmare, I doubt it. How good that a city is not just the sum of its buildings. It is what old towns still maintain so nice if the substance and structure is not correct, a city is a real nightmare.
But she also grew downward.
At dinner in the underworld
Seoul - these are really two cities: one about the earth, but also a colorful underworld. Wherever possible, a descent into the earth, is at access to the extensive subway system, for example, connect a long shopping arcades the stations. Under huge street intersections, in subways, but also in office buildings or hotels, there are lively traditional markets and thriving service centers.
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Yes, this is called smart and practical ways of planning and enables fast connections. If there is anything that Seoul should not give up, then this practical system.
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gyms, clubs and restaurants like the popular "Hofbräuhaus" in the office and entertainment district in Gangnam lure above ground often with a narrow door, behind the descent.
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Oh my God! Clubs in the basement! A world first. A nightmare. And restaurants in cellars and I am for the immediate closure of all Council cellar, wine bars and
not least ... um ... as beer cellar as the Bürgerbräukeller. Anyway because only evil things like Hitler coups are held. Really, those crazy Asians build, just keep in the ground!
And otherwise: Is there still the Hofbräuhaus? Is this not long ago closed down? So popular, it may well not have been.
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Mayor Oh not like it when his advisor Kim a "displacement of the pedestrian under the earth" speaks. Oh had for the "underground city planning" a very unique role: "We had our exploit space absolutely. "But that was yesterday.
Today everything is different. competitiveness is more important than ever to believe Oh," but only one city where you would like to live, is also a city in which you want to invest like ". .
right Mr. Oh, even if the platitudes do slow painful. A born politician, our mayor.
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Oh is a Dauerlächler who always seems nice and because of his boyish charm is well received. For his Master Plan The lawyer sought tuition in Europe. He was in Milan, Brussels and Graz, he was informed in Hamburg on the new port city.
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A Metropolis seeks no tuition, they visited other cities to build relationships, develop and learn. It's called learning from each other and the way is contrary to the above sections, is where talk of Seoul as a model. Korea exports its subway system and Germany its trams, so you help each his part.
Back home, he noted that the awareness of his countrymen has changed. "Our people want to finally enjoy free time and feel good," he believes.
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he not only believes, is like that. And noted he has also before his trip to Europe, from the He came back with bulging order books for the city.
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stands at the window at City Hall and looking down on a huge lawn area, the official one for Seoul's relations can enjoy almost eerie calm.
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At least you should still be able, if one writes for Spiegel Online (my hatred of the envious position at Spiegel Online is intended)
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It is not that long ago that the Government was still one of the worst traffic islands of the city. Six multi-lane main roads from all directions met here to a giant star-shaped intersection and clouded the centuries-old royal palace Deoksu just across the street with a permanent cloud of exhaust. It has been Ohs predecessor Lee Myung Bak, of such "new thinking" prepares the way.
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The same president the way, the demonizing of the left intelligentsia as fascist dictator, who had just disposed of democracy in Korea.
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The current president acknowledged that Seoul is not one of the highest population densities in the world could continue to grow infinitely. Lee turned to the public transport system. He organized express routes for buses and work for her own, congestion-free lanes. Lee could main transport hubs calm and reanimate a river covered with concrete in the center, the Cheonggyecheon. He was first buried in 1961 and then replaced by a multi-lane expressway was.
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Several facts behind each other dargeleget correctly. One with an asterisk.
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The six-kilometer-long highway leading through the living room on stilts almost in the heart of Seoul.
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whether there were particularly large living room on the way, I doubt, unless you count with that the textile workers have been sleeping until 70, in their factories.
For the equivalent of around 300 million € was Lee demolish them. For over four years flowing the creek again to just under four kilometers in length and became the symbol of the green awakening.
environmental friendliness as a trademark
Oh let other road junctions in the center of calm, unassuming side streets with sidewalks aufhübschen, create green spaces and fountains. The pedestrian-friendly transformation of initially 20 major streets of the city is part of the official design program.
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fascinating to see what in the few months after tutoring has brought from the West to create smart, so everything. Or you have about starting before?
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"remain of course the economy, Transport and education are very important, "says the mayor - but" to increase the satisfaction of the citizens, environment and culture are the key factors: the environment is to our "In five to ten years, he wants to Seoul have made it a pedestrian-friendly city." be the new brand. "
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's good. sound
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Compared to Lee's traffic measures Oh visions downright revolutionary. He wants to" work wonders on the Hangang, and the lake shores of the mighty Han River for people and Arts reclaim.
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If he wants to accomplish the Miracle of the Hangang, he comes a few decades too late. But the second miracle of Hangang it might be already, so it is certainly in all the brochures.
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The mighty river bisects the city from east to west at around 50 kilometers of shoreline. Eight to zehnspurige car runs the Hangang lined on both sides and divide the city as a demarcation line, partly on concrete stilts.
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that line to about the same park the river, maybe you should say to the overall picture.
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Now the power to "the new icon will be. Oh wants to "reclaim nature along the river for the people" with a mighty effort and the paradise for cyclists and joggers . Develop High-rise neighborhoods to the water front areas and capital transformed to a port city "will be.
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Where we are back to Lee Myung-bak would be indebted to the Oh to any case of political success more than his boyish charm, which is highlighted by the article as.
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Libeskind builds Giga-skyscraper
is part of the plan, a new residential and business district in Yongsan, the star architect Daniel Libeskind has designed. Archipelago is the potpourri of 21 apartment blocks, offices and parks in the Yongsan district. The center will form no later than 2017, when a 640 meter high skyscraper, one of the highest in the world.
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apartment blocks is again one of those terms. The latest 200-square-foot apartments with river views are always automatically apartment blocks once they exceed a certain number of storeys. The German does not live like high, but the Koreans, but please let her preference, as long as the houses are well designed.
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For this, the highway on the north shore, inverted world, be placed partly under the earth in miles of tunnels. That such plans sound technically and financially almost unbelievable, does not bother Oh. "The agreement shows the people that we can convince," he says.
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is not only for it, but within the overall transport plan laid, in other places. Why is the "inverted world" should be, open up to me not even the fifth reading.
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Before he was elected three years ago when the mayor, the lawyer was not only renowned Ökoanwalt. He was quarrelsome member of the largest environmental initiative of Seoul. He changed only the pages, but not his conviction. Oh for the willingness to go far politically.
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Yes, in an age in which all the people demanded better quality of life and the government spends billions upon billions in green technologies, it is really daring as a foster son Lee Myung-bak's jump on the program. A very bad this revolutionary Oh.
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How far? In early summer, will be local elections in Seoul, and since it must be re-elected. For Oh Se Hoon still marvels before: He wants to inherit from his predecessor a second time. As president. That would be early 2013.
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The elections are likely to end 2012, the inauguration would be 2013, right. Should he do anything the way he is without a re-election of a candidate for the Democratic primary basis of GNP in 2012. But how to win candidate nomination process, as Mr. Oh can still ask for time in Germany, for example, the Federal President, neither elected nor directly elected on a democratic basis as a candidate. Or, the Chancellor, when this is the same. Or the prime minister. Or or.
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