Gangnam Fighting Three Nuisances to Host G20 Summit
By Oh Young-jin
Staff Reporter
The Gangnam District Office plans to conduct a district-wide effort to eliminate three "nuisances" in order to make it the best candidate for the G20 summit meetings to be held in Seoul in November.
The three problems are unpleasant odors, mosquitoes and dirt.
"We are trying to develop Gangnam into a business district that meets global standards," Maeng Jung-ju, head of the district office, said Monday. "The G20 meeting will be a golden opportunity."
Although the venue for the G20 meeting has yet to be fixed, it is widely speculated that COEX exhibition hall in Samseong-dong, which is inside the district, is the most likely site, having already accommodated large-scale international conferences.
"We have launched efforts to bring the district's overall environment up to global standards and to provide a variety of things and sites for the visitors to enjoy," Maeng said.
As part of its efforts, the district will reduce unpleasant odors in areas around COEX, Yeoksam-dong and Apgujeong-dong, which will likely be the main areas for visitors during the G20 summit.
District officials said that the sewage and rainwater collection systems are not properly separated from each other, causing a disagreeable odor in the summer.
The system will release chemicals when the levels reach undesirable levels to mitigate the odor.
The district is also considering doubling the current 50,000 won fine for tossing cigarette butts on the street, which when they end up in rainwater disposal systems and start to decay, the officials think, contribute to the odor problem.
Gangnam also plans to double its road cleaning efforts, using water and following it up with vacuum cleaning. The area near COEX complex will be designated a "no-mosquito zone" where efforts to repel the insect will be strengthened.
Also planned are upgrades to public phone booths in the COEX area; doubling the district's number of public bathrooms to 250; and the installation of more emergency medical kits in public areas, among other improvements.
Additionally, a map of the district will be made in English, French, Japanese and other languages, introducing places of interest and restaurants.The government promotes G20 summit, a gathering of the richest 20 countries of the world, as a key event to help Korea joins the ranks of the advanced countries.