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Expats air complaints about Seoul

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catman

Joined: 18 Jul 2004

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 1:06 pm Post subject: Expats air complaints about Seoul

Quote:

The Seoul Metropolitan Government hosted their annual Seoul Town Meeting for expatriates, and lots of complaints were aired about living in Seoul.

The meeting, held in a conference room at City Hall on frisday at 4:00 p.m., was the 13th, and about 100 expats from the United States, Mongolia, Vietnam, the Philippines and other countries attended. The meeting was broadcast live on the Internet and through Twitter and Facebook.

Jasmine Lee, who starred in the 2011 movie �Wandeugi,� which described a multiethnic family in Korea, was the master of ceremonies.

Mayor Park Won-soon said in a opening speech, �I think the best way to find solutions for problems is listening to the diverse opinions of the people who are actually suffering them.�

Alan Timblick, the head of the agency, gave a progress report on policies for expats, saying that 17 of 76 suggestions were accepted to alter the city government�s policies in the last five years. He said recommendations by expats from past years� meetings were already implemented or were in the process of being implemented.

�From expats� suggestions, the ordinance that bans smoking in public areas such as Seoul Plaza and Namsan Park was enacted,� Timblick said.

The city government said it had collected questions and complaints from expats prior to the meeting and education was one the most important issues. Stinging criticism and complains about various education policies were made by expats and people from multiethnic families.

Hideku Yamaguchi from Japan said that learning materials in Korean schools are too expensive and the education was too focused on preparing for the College Scholastic Ability Test. She requested the government enable schools to buy learning materials in bulk so students could get them at a discount.

Some participants said schools in Korea should be more open with their information, especially on tuition.

�I thought there were no scholarship programs for foreign students in Korea because I couldn�t find any information on Web sites,� a student from Kazakhstan attending Korea University said. �I think Korean schools need to operate more transparently.�

Many participants said that students from multiethnic families are treated differently at school and that the treatment is the worst for children with parents from developing countries. They said the government should try to minimize discrimination in schools and encourage Koreans to learn about other cultures and respect them.

Kang Seon-seup, the director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government�s foreign residents� assistance department, said the SMG will communicate more with schools and related organizations to come up with solutions.

The comment that drew the most applause from the audience was that the government isn�t very successful in regulating delivery men driving their motorbikes on pedestrian sidewalks.

�The government should not only fine drivers but also their employers,� said Gregory Brooks, a professor at Yonsei University.

�I think the meeting was very valuable,� Mayor Park said. �I expect these valuable opinions from expats will help promote better living circumstances so that everyone can live happily in this beautiful city regardless of race, religion or nationality.�

By Kwon Sang-soo [[email protected]]

Savant

Joined: 25 May 2007

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:38 pm Post subject: Re: Expats air complaints about Seoul

catman wrote:

Quote:

The comment that drew the most applause from the audience was that the government isn�t very successful in regulating delivery men driving their motorbikes on pedestrian sidewalks.

Good luck with that Korean Government. I'm sure there'll be a "crackdown" soon to rid these guys off the sidewalks for a week or two.

bekinseki

Joined: 31 Aug 2011
Location: Korea

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:20 pm Post subject: Re: Expats air complaints about Seoul

catman wrote:

�From expats� suggestions, the ordinance that bans smoking in public areas such as Seoul Plaza and Namsan Park was enacted,� Timblick said.

Really? It's the fault of foreigners that they banned smoking outdoors?

Anyone know if Anti-English Spectrum is still accepting applications?

pkang0202

Joined: 09 Mar 2007

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:31 pm Post subject: Re: Expats air complaints about Seoul

bekinseki wrote:

catman wrote:

�From expats� suggestions, the ordinance that bans smoking in public areas such as Seoul Plaza and Namsan Park was enacted,� Timblick said.

Really? It's the fault of foreigners that they banned smoking outdoors?

Anyone know if Anti-English Spectrum is still accepting applications?

Next year, we need more smokers to represent in the townhall meetings. We need to DEMAND a law that says smoking will never be banned inside restaurants and bars.

warmachinenkorea

Joined: 12 Oct 2008

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:41 pm Post subject: Re: Expats air complaints about Seoul

pkang0202 wrote:

bekinseki wrote:

catman wrote:

�From expats� suggestions, the ordinance that bans smoking in public areas such as Seoul Plaza and Namsan Park was enacted,� Timblick said.

Really? It's the fault of foreigners that they banned smoking outdoors?

Anyone know if Anti-English Spectrum is still accepting applications?

Next year, we need more smokers to represent in the townhall meetings. We need to DEMAND a law that says smoking will never be banned inside restaurants and bars.

I hope your being sarcastic. If you wanna smoke that's all good and fine. But it hinders other people from enjoying their dinner or night out. Let's also DEMAND a law that says masturbating in bars and resturants will never be banned. Your personal pleasures are all good and fine as long as it doesn't spill over onto others.

bekinseki

Joined: 31 Aug 2011
Location: Korea

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 5:05 pm Post subject: Re: Expats air complaints about Seoul

warmachinenkorea wrote:

pkang0202 wrote:

bekinseki wrote:

catman wrote:

�From expats� suggestions, the ordinance that bans smoking in public areas such as Seoul Plaza and Namsan Park was enacted,� Timblick said.

Really? It's the fault of foreigners that they banned smoking outdoors?

Anyone know if Anti-English Spectrum is still accepting applications?

Next year, we need more smokers to represent in the townhall meetings. We need to DEMAND a law that says smoking will never be banned inside restaurants and bars.

I'm a non-smoker, and I don't see the point of banning smoking in:
a) the outdoors
b) restaurants in which there is a ventilation pipe at every table to remove all the smoke from cooking
c) bars and nightclubs

warmachinenkorea

Joined: 12 Oct 2008

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 5:14 pm Post subject: Re: Expats air complaints about Seoul

bekinseki wrote:

warmachinenkorea wrote:

pkang0202 wrote:

bekinseki wrote:

catman wrote:

�From expats� suggestions, the ordinance that bans smoking in public areas such as Seoul Plaza and Namsan Park was enacted,� Timblick said.

Really? It's the fault of foreigners that they banned smoking outdoors?

Anyone know if Anti-English Spectrum is still accepting applications?

Next year, we need more smokers to represent in the townhall meetings. We need to DEMAND a law that says smoking will never be banned inside restaurants and bars.

I don't go to bars and night clubs. I don't even drink but if a non smoker chooses to go to a place and have a few he should be able to breathe without having someone else's habit impede his night out. And back home we don't have the tables with the vent thingys. Outdoors is no issue as long as it's not in a place where everyone goes or uses. Like back home people liked ot smoke at the hospital entrance. The smoke got trapped under the awning and made a big smoke cloud where everyone had to walk through to go in.

I'm a little jaded because both of my parents were to selfish to quit smoking while I suffered for 18+ years with asthma and sinus infections. When I moved out all of that cleared up.

Zyzyfer

Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 5:27 pm Post subject: Re: Expats air complaints about Seoul

bekinseki wrote:

I'm a smoker and I only really agree with C. A and B should be optional and left to whoever is in charge of the outdoor space or restaurant.

Really C should be the same but I've got to draw the line somewhere. Smile

Quote:

And back home we don't have the tables with the vent thingys.

"Back home" is a wasteland for smokers, I'm willing to compromise when it comes to smoking but I won't go so far as to feel like I'm, as you put it, impeding someone's night out when they go to a bar that does not have a no-smoking policy.

-----

Back to the original point of the thread, it's good that they have such a referendum. It seems from the quotes and such that it's mostly people with families who have legitimate complaints.

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