 Head of Seocho District Office |
Staff Reporter
An expat town with high-end residential, educational and cultural facilities will be constructed in the Seocho district of southern Seoul, according to the head of the district.
Park Sung-joong, 52, head of the Seocho District Office, said in an interview with The Korea Times last Thursday that one of the richest district offices in Seoul will announce a master plan for the village, dubbed "Global Town," next month. Seocho is well known as the home of a French village called "Seorae."
"This is not only for our district but also for our country," Park emphasized. "I'd bet the new village will eventually help sharpen the country's competitive edge."
The district is where headquarters of Korea's three major conglomerates ― Samsung, Hyundai Motor and GS ― are located.
"Today, talented foreigners are one of the most valuable assets for private companies. It's not an exaggeration at all to say that they play a pivotal role in determining a company's international competiveness," Park said. "To attract such talent, a high-quality residential and educational environment for them and their children is indispensable."
The district office is in last-minute talks with the government to ease regulations so that the project can go forward smoothly, he added.
According to Seocho officials, the envisioned village will be constructed on some 163,000 square meters in Bangbae-dong. Nearly 2,000 state-of-the-art houses, a hospital, and sporting and cultural facilities will be built in the new town near Mt. Umyeon.
"Many talented foreigners here have complained of the lack of places for leisure and to share information with those at the same level," he said. "I hope the village will provide the solution."
Foreign investors in Korea have pointed out the shortage of foreign schools as a major culprit undermining the attractiveness of the Korean market.
A survey by KOTRA in 2008 found that nearly 80 percent of them were satisfied with the business environment, but 86 percent of respondents complained of a lack of international schools and high tuition fees.
Seocho's aggressive push to welcome foreigners with open arms has led to English being practically an official language at the district headquarters.
Since December 2007, the district head has hosted English-only meetings once a quarter. All staff members of the office are required to take a three-week intensive English training course.
"Many employees have complained that it's too tough to take the training course and speak in English during the quarterly meeting. But the hard work has paid off," Park said. "Many workers have become fluent enough to guide foreign visitors in English and deal with their affairs without a language barrier."
The office recently picked the 10 best English speakers among its trained workers to have them serve as interpreters for VIPs from English-speaking countries.
"Many foreigners are still reluctant to visit government agencies due to the language barrier even if they are facing administrative problems," the district head said. "No matter how fluent our workers may be, completely removing the challenges caused by linguistic differences may be all but impossible. But I believe our efforts will make them feel that Seocho is more comfortable and friendlier to expats than elsewhere."
His eagerness to create an English-friendly environment prompted the office to establish three "English Premier Centers" where residents can borrow a variety of English education-related materials including DVDs and books for a 10,000 won monthly fee.
He has also pushed restaurants with English-language services for foreign visitors, and residents attend district town-hall meetings, which are held on a regular basis.
"All of these efforts are part of our voyage toward a final destination where both locals and foreigners will recognize Seocho as one of the best municipal districts in the world. The voyage is now in smooth waters," he said smiling.
pss@koreatimes.co.kr
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