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New growth engine industries

It's particularly noted that Oh published a book in 2005, titled: Failure Offers Seeds of Hope. Talking to several senior officials from a Korean conglomerate, university students and our tour manager, I get the feeling that Oh is cut out for a job that seems unenviable to the faint-hearted.

Oh has put on record that, after taking office last year, he has dedicated his attention towards laying the foundation for 'Creative City Administration'' to make Seoul a more competitive city.

Tourism is given highlight in his revenue structure. With current tourist arrival hovering at 6 million, he has the ambition of doubling it to 12 million by 2010. His selling point is the 'Clean and Attractive Global City' that aims to project Seoul as a capital for tourism, fashion and design, finance and distribution, digital content, R&D and convention. These are what he has identified as the new growth engine industries for Seoul.

Skyscrapping 63 Convention Center, Gangnam District, Seoul... LensaPress photo by Jeff Ooi

Oh also outlined his intended efforts for environment and the ecosystem by adopting a working strategy for the development of clean and renewable energy. These are encased in projects slated for Cheonggye-cheon Restoration initiated by his predecessor, and the 253-billion won Han River Renaissance Project, which Oh announced last fall.

These projects are seen as strategies that will rejuvenate Seoul which is said to suffer from a dearth of tourist sites and activities.

Interestingly, when we met him last week, this grand plan of a 'Clean and Attractive Global City' was presented in the form of Seoul's satellite, the New Songdo City, dubbed the U-City. Seoul will be repositioned as u-Seoul and... U is for Ubiquitous.

SOURCE: Seoul Metropolitan Government

In short, e-Seoul promises an always-on infrastructure, driven by technology, that aims to account for systemic efficiency and transparent governance in the course of public service delivery to the community of Seoul City. Nothing that's not familiarly heard in Malaysia (read: Cyberjaya's City Command Centre), but execution of plans often draws the chasm between realists and dreamers. Time, three years from now, will tell us which side Seoul shall stand by the gap.

Recently, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a plan to build a large theme park near the Han River to make it a tourist attraction. The theme park would include an indoor ski dome and rafting facility on the Nanji Stream.

However, the plan drew flaks in the media which feared the proposed location may pose environmental impact on the World Cup Park and the nearby Han River, besides the potential traffic snarls.

There are 23 bridges spanning across the Han River to connect Older Seoul in the north
and new Gangnam area in the south (left-hand side area)... LensaPress photo by Jeff Ooi

The Korea Herald, an English newspaper founded in 1953, suggested that "if a theme park is seen as a way to attract foreign tourists, there are already a number of theme parks in and around Seoul. Perhaps one of them can be revamped and updated".

"The city is announcing one plan after another for boosting tourism in the city, apparently blinded by a target of 12 million foreign visitors," the Herald said in an editorial. "In order to prevent costly mistakes, the city administration must fully consider the effects of such plans on the environment and the quality of life for residents."

The controversy comes as little surprise if the experience of Oh's predecessor in the Cheonggye Stream restoration project is taken as a lesson well learned.

This is how present day Cheonggye Square and its surrounding look like.

LensaPress photo by Jeff Ooi

Outsiders rarely know that much of the 5.8km Cheonggye Cheon (cheon is Korean for stream or creek) was formerly concealed under concrete roads, and the water was polluted. In 1968, an elevated highway was built over it.

Restoration of Cheonggye Stream... 'Creative City Administration'

In July 2003, Oh's predecessor Lee Myung-bak, who was the Seoul mayor from July 2002 to June 2006, initiated a project to remove the highway, and to uncover and restore the stream. Lee maintained that years of neglect and development had left the stream nearly totally dry and 120,000 tons of water had to be pumped in daily.

It became an instant controversy. Traders who occupied the place refused to relocate and a series of protests were launched. Environmental activists joined in to criticise the project for its high costs. They even termed it a purely symbolic project that would not really benefit the city's eco-environment.

However, when Cheonggyecheon restoration work was finally completed and opened to the public in September 2005, it waslauded as a major success in urban renewal and beautification. The success also helped Lee consolidate his image as a serious contender for the 2008 presidency race.

That, to me, is a case of solving an old problem with new ideas. Looking at Oh's U-City outline, he is apparently following the footsteps of the previous mayor while building his own legacy.

And he has only three more years to realise the plans, as 2010 will determine whether he will succeed when the Seoul Metropolitan Government faces the electorates.

Meanwhile, South Korea has already been talking about relocating its capital city to the central Chungcheong region.

Seoul is known as a city of mineral water as the city folks questioned the quality of the tap water and resorted to drinking water packaged in bottles. Noting that Oh has decided to lead by example by daring to drink from the tap, I hasten to leave behind the bottled mineral water given by the host as we made a beeline for the exit.

It could be the time for Seoul-searching for those caught in the game of catching up, globally speaking about the fundamentals.

BACKGROUNDER

The Seoul Mayor has been a political appointee until July 1998 when the mayor was voted in through election once every four years..

Oh inherited his job from an equally charismatic Lee Myung-bak, who was the Seoul mayor from July 2002 to June 2006, and is now regarded as a potential candidate for the Korean presidency in 2008. Both Lee and Oh are members of the Grand National Party, currently an opposition party in Korea.

Under the present constitution, the Korean president can only serve a single five-year term after he wins in the direct election. On the other hand, the mayor of Seoul serves a four-year term, also through direct election. With their terms of office being finite, their respective political parties are called to account for their governance through the ballot.

Breaking away from military regimes in the 1980's, democracy seemed to have thrived in Korea. Just an example in 2004. The Seoul City and its Mayor were sued by 53 residents who demanded a combined 53 million won in compensation for damage caused by Seoul's new traffic system.