By Don Southerton, Songdo IBD CityTalk Editor and Chief Blogger
I shared with a longtime friend and well-known Denver-based entrepreneur Stephen Oliver that over the past several years, I’ve been so focused on Korea writing projects I rarely pick up a book for casual reading. Later that day, I was skimming new book reviews and came upon Christopher Steiner’s $20 Per Gallon How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better. My hope was to find a interesting book, then take some time to read and reflect. Previewing the book online, I noticed the author lauded Songdo and the developer Gale International. How convenient!
After buying a copy and a giving the book a quick skim, I found that author Steiner sees New Songdo City (Songdo IBD) as a model for his future urban revolution. With quotes from Gale International CEO John Hynes III, $20 Per Gallon provide a nice overview on Songdo IBD interconnectedness, sustainability, and quality of living. The book is available at Amazon...
I am curious to the thoughts of Songdo IBD CityTalk readers on Steiner’s arguments and foresight.
The new book Chemulpo to Songdo IBD will soon be released. Details will be posted in the near future. In the meantime, plans are underway for media events in the US and Korea.
By Don Southerton, Songdo IBD CityTalk Editor and Chief Blogger
I’ve been sharing previews of my soon to be released book Chemulpo to Songdo IBD. The book will document the region’s amazing 125 history beginning with opening of the port–then called Chemulpo–to the West. I was pleased that preserving Incheon’s past was a priority for Mayor Ahn Sang- soo according to this timely Korea Times interview.
Chemulpo early 1900s
INCHEON ― The major seaport city of Incheon is eager to demonstrate to the world that it is a global city of economic and cultural vigor through the “Visit Incheon 2009” campaign.
Mayor Ahn Sang-soo, 63, said that Incheon will see 20 million visitors by 2014. In an interview with The Korea Times, the CEO-turned-politician elaborated on Incheon’s potential to emerge as one of the world’s 10 must-visit cities in the next five years.
Incheon’s Role in Global Korea
Incheon has been closely associated in recent years with showcase development projects, particularly in the form of a Free Economic Zone (FEZ) currently underway in reclaimed areas of Songdo and others.
Ahn stressed, however, that Incheon is much more than economic and developmental pursuits. On the occasion of the Visit Incheon 2009 campaign, he wants to renew the world’s attention on the city’s history, culture and nature.
“Incheon housed many of Korea’s first modern institutions,” said Ahn in introducing the city’s identity as one of modern Korea’s first global cities.
“It was Incheon that linked the country to the world and simultaneously initiated foreign settlement in Korea with the historic opening of ports in 1883.”
Incheon port managed more than half of Korea’s foreign trade between the years 1880 and 1910, according to historical records.
“Korea’s first post office, bank, hotel, among other modern facilities, were established in Incheon during those early years of modernization,” Ahn said.
Reviving Historical Legacies
The city plans to restore these historical legacies as part of efforts to distinguish itself as a unique tourist destination, setting itself apart from areas with just a commercial focus.
On May 22, the city announced that it has designated a cultural cluster of buildings with modern historical value as part of initiatives to boost the city’s tourism industry.
The city will establish a tour route that passes through one of the nation’s first post office, a sub-branch of Japan’s First (or Dai-ichi) Bank and eight other signature establishments testifying to the city’s role in Korea’s modernization.
Songdo International City
By the early 1900s, thousands of Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Westerners had transformed the port, then known as Chemulpo, into the trade hub of the region. During those times, there were more foreign residents, mostly Japanese and Chinese, in Incheon than in Seoul.
It is perhaps no surprise that a city with such a distinct historical background should be the nation’s frontrunner in building an international city where the use of English in classrooms, business conferences and shopping centers could possibly become the norm.
One of the three districts of the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) with Cheongna and Yeongjong, Songdo International City, 64 kilometers from Seoul, it is the largest development project of its kind in Korea as Northeast Asia’s new multicultural center of business and education.
By 2014, the Incheon Free Economic Zone will house more than 300 Northeast Asian business headquarters, 30 international organizations including those affiliated with the United Nations, and extended campuses of 15 foreign universities.
“At least within the boundaries of the free economic zone, English should be the common medium of communication,” Ahn said on the possibility of adopting English as an official language. “Those working in our schools, shops and even public administrations should be able to communicate in English.”
The city administration has adopted programs to equip their officials with better English-speaking skills.
“English is important because Incheon’s foreign population is expected to reach 200,000 around the time the IFEZ is completed in 2020. We are hoping that more students, researchers, scholars and workers from abroad will relocate to the IFEZ,” he said. The current population of Incheon is approximately 2.7 million.
Meanwhile, to achieve a balanced development for the rest of Incheon with the IFEZ, the older parts of the city are undergoing multiple redevelopment projects.
2009 Incheon Global Fair & Festival
As widely publicized, the coastal city is the host of the world’s first exhibition on urban development models which will take place in Songdo for 80 days starting Aug. 7.
Incheon first perceived the idea for the exhibition around 2004. “We thought that it would be a good idea to create a venue for sharing with the world our roadmap for the IFEZ as well as our experience in redeveloping the older parts of Incheon,” Ahn explained.
The organizers will invite representatives of business and government as well as urban planners to explore futuristic urban development models and lifestyles utilizing up-to-date digital technologies. Incheon is aiming to attract half a million foreign tourists, particularly from neighboring countries China and Japan.
“We are living in an age where the competitiveness of each city ultimately translates to the entire nation’s competitiveness. Exploring ways to adjust urban development to the environmental and energy needs of the 21st century is an immensely important issue,” Ahn said
The event will feature exhibitions, conferences and festivals organized around five main subjects ― Development of New City, Environment and Energy, Advanced Technology, Tourism and Leisure, and Culture and Art.
Organizers said that the event is expected to generate 530 billion won in added value and contribute to attracting more foreign investment for the IFEZ. More than 100 cities around the world will participate.
Transformation from Chemulpo to Songdo
Ahn says that there are plenty of other reasons to visit Incheon this year.
As he invited the world to come and witness the city’s transformation from Chemulpo to Songdo, he also stressed Incheon’s richness in natural beauty and cultural legacies.
It is not commonly known that Incheon is surrounded by 150 Islands, some of which are famed for their scenery and have recently attracted many tourists with “Island Stay” programs. Combining all the islands, Incheon is actually slightly bigger than Seoul, according to Ahn.
Incheon is also home to age-old temples such as Bomunsa and Jeondungsa. Additionally, it is the only city in Korea with an extensive Chinatown.
Photo courtesy of the Moffett Collection, Special Collections, Princeton Theological Seminary Library
By Don Southerton, Songdo IBD CityTalk Editor and Chief Blogger
Incheon Grand Bridge
Great video on the new Incheon Grand Bridge. We expect the bridge to open in October 2009 as part of the Incheon Global Fair and Festival 80 day celebration.
By Don Southerton, Songdo IBD CityTalk Editor and Chief Blogger
Chemulpo Early 1900s
125 years ago , in 1884, Incheon port then commonly know as Chemulpo was designated a foreign settlement. By the early 1900s, thousands of Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and westerners had transformed the port into a vibrant international trade center. My forthcoming book, Chemulpo to Songdo IBD: Korea’s International Gateway will share the port’s amazing and significant history. An August 2009 book release is expected.
* Photo by George Rose, courtesy of Keystone-Mast Collection, UCR/ California Museum of Photography, University of California, Riverside
By Don Southerton, Songdo IBD CityTalk Editor and Chief Blogger
Anyone who travels frequently knows that airports vary greatly. Some are better than others. I have always found Incheon a positive experience. It’s really no surprise that year-after-year they rank top in passenger satisfaction. When the new bridge linking the airport to Songdo IBD is completed later this year, the travel experience to Korea will be even better.
Global media notes…Incheon International Airport in South Korea won the coveted Best Airport Award, according to a survey conducted by Airports Council International. Passenger satisfaction with the new Terminal 3 promoted Singapore Changi Airport into 2nd place this year, with Hong Kong International Airport coming in at a close 3rd place. Airports Council International announced the top performing airports in the Airport Service Quality Survey.
By Don Southerton, Songdo IBD CityTalk Editor and Chief Blogger
The Korean press frequently shares Incheon Free Economic Zone’s (IFEZ) amazing progress. At the heart is Songdo IBD. This Korea Herald article does a great job pointing out that within the greater IFEZ, Songdo is one of three districts. Within Songdo is the international hub–Songdo IBD–which includes among a number of high profile projects, the International School, Jack Nicklaus Golf course and community, Central Park, 1st World Towers, and the Northeast Trade Center.
Korea Herald notes:
The Incheon Free Economic Zone has begun to take shape as a new global financial and logistics hub in Northeast Asia with the first phase of its development project scheduled to be completed this year.
The planned city, some 30 kilometers west of Seoul, features a working and living environment built to meet the standards of global companies.
The first phase of the project included reclamation work that has created 12.11 million square meters of coastal land and completion of infrastructure facilities for mass transportation and quality living.
Once this new infrastructure is established this year, Incheon aims to create new jobs by attracting multinational companies.
The IFEZ, an hour’s drive from Seoul, will bring a shift in the region from being manufacturing-based to knowledge-based, and foster a value-added industry by establishing a service-oriented infrastructure, the IFEZ Authority said.
The IFEZ will be comprised of three major districts, each taking on a special function. Songdo will serve the biomedical field and global education institutions; Yeongjong will function as a transportation and logistics hub; and Cheongna will host a robot-themed amusement park. Since its establishment in 2003, the IFEZ has signed a total of 41 memoranda of understanding for a combined $57.9 billion in foreign direct investment, the IFEZ Authority said.
Songdo has been selected by the government to be developed into a state-of-the-art medical and welfare complex by 2020 – a project worth 3 trillion won in government investment. Songdo is aiming to build top-notch infrastructure that would make it a people-friendly and health-oriented district.
Songdo sits on more than 13,047 acres and it is expected to be developed into six main clusters: international business center [commonly referred to as Songdo IBD], knowledge-based industry complex, biotech complex, information technology cluster, international academic complex and the Incheon new port.
Starting July this year, underground trains will start to connect Songdo and Incheon. Songdo International School, which will run kindergarten, elementary, middle and high schools is scheduled to open in September. A 405,000-square-meter central park located in the center of Songdo International Business District will be completed in June.
In addition, with the 12.3-kilometer bridge to be completed in October this year, the IFEZ will be only 15 minutes away from Incheon International Airport. The Incheon Bridge currently being built by a construction unit of Samsung C&T is to be the world’s fifth longest cable-stayed bridge. The construction will cost 2.5 trillion won, the authority said.
Even with the blueprints for the IFEZ, the lack of government support in building infrastructure and remaining regulations is making it hard for the IFEZ Authority to lure foreign investment, especially in times of economic decline, the office said.
“FEZs are supposed to offer a business-friendly environment as well as favorable tax breaks and other benefits to foreign investors. But not in FEZs in Korea,” an official of the IFEZ Authority said.
“The government also needs to simplify all the administrative work suitable for foreign investors,” he added.
By Don Southerton, Songdo IBD CityTalk Editor and Chief Blogger
After a week in Korea, I’m back in La Jolla, California. I’d like to share some insights on the visit. First, flying into Incheon International Airport, the new bridge looked awesome. Th Songdo IBD skyline is also beginning to standout–buildings sprouting up.
I cannot wait for the bridge to link the project with the airport. In fact, the new bridge will open up much of the region south of Incheon and spur growth. At two occasions over the week, Korean friends commented on the bridge making travel more convenient and that local businesses would benefit. All were also impressed with the scope and scale of Songdo IBD.
I also had the opportunity to chat with the construction management team for the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea. They shared that the golf course was one of the most eco-friendly in the world. What I found interesting was not only the technology involved in the project, but Jack Nicklaus’ ongoing interest in the Songdo IBD golf course.
To conclude, over the week despite many in Korea feeling the impact of the global recession (and scarce Foreign Direct Investment in Korea)…Songdo IBD, the Gale International team, and their partners are moving forward with the project.
By Don Southerton, Songdo IBD CityTalk Editor and Chief Blogger
I was recently given the link to a Popular Science website article that discusses Songdo IBD with regard to its eco-friendly design and Green footprint. The article notes NYC is looking at international success models to cope with sustainability and Green issues.
POPSCI.com notes…
Lean times call for green measures. Even before the cash crunch came to fruition, New York City was looking for ways to cut costs and bolster environment initiatives.
A brainchild of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, PlaNYC (pronounced plan-why-see) avoids the wait-and-see approach, in favor of a proactive checklist of what needs to happen to help the Big Apple adapt to a predicted influx of a million new residents by 2030. An exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York gets to the core of the proposed changes and looks to other cities for fixes that are more than skin-deep.
PlaNYC’s top goals include creating adequate housing, cleaning up contaminated lands (brownfields), updating the city’s energy infrastructure, reducing global warming emissions by 30 percent, and achieving the cleanest air in any American city.
You don’t have to be in midtown Manhattan to know those are lofty goals. Just take a look at the hazecam to check out the current soot situation.
Nonetheless, several international success stories have elements worth emulating.
Formerly laden with landfills and home to a major auto manufacturer’s biggest plant, Malmö, Sweden, is no longer a Saab city. An $85 million transformation ushered in the new Bo01neighborhood — and inventive ways of reusing refuse. Buses run on biogas made from organic waste, plastics of all sorts are recycled and renewable energy (mostly wind power) is the norm.
Singapore is no stranger to congestion. It’s not surprising that the Malaysian metropolis inaugurated its first congestion-pricing plan in 1975. (A similar plan in New York failed to pass in the City Council last year.) Traffic is down by 30 percent, even after a one-third increase in the number of workers streaming into the downtown area.
Sometimes the best solution is to start from scratch. New construction means new materials and more resources but it offers an opportunity to avoid old-school mistakes. In South Korea, 1,500-acres of reclaimed land are getting ready for a green-over. Forty minutes southwest of Seoul, Songdo City will be the world’s first international business zone based on Earth-friendly design. Forty percent of its footprint will be green space (as opposed to ten percent in New York City) and trash trucks will be a thing of the past: pneumatic tubes will whisk waste to processing facilities. To keep carbon emissions down, Korea’s urban green giant will pull from at least one New York City success story. Its 100-acre Central Park is modeled on New York’s verdant heart.
By Don Southerton, Songdo IBD CityTalk Editor and Chief Blogger
As noted in Dr. Jorge Nelson’s December 15, 2008 CityTalk post, Songdo IBD is for everyone. Although Songdo IBD is designed to attract a wide range of foreign businesses, the city will also appeal to many already living in Korea. It will create jobs, provide entertainment, and become a shopping destination. I expect most Koreans will visit Songdo IBD as the project unfolds. I see Songdo IBD appealing to three generations of Koreans. For those familiar with America’s generational groups, understanding Korea’s groups is insightful.
Common American generation groups include:
Gen Y (millennials) – Born 1977-1990, Ages 18-32
Gen X – Born 1965-1976, Ages 33-44
Younger Boomers – Born 1955-1964, Ages 44-54
Older Boomers – Born 1946-1954, Ages 55-63
Silent Generation – Born 1937-1945, Ages 64-72
G.I. Generation – Born -1936, Age 73+
Korea has its own generational divides. I found an article by By Park Sun-Young from the International Affairs Desk at Hankook Ilbo relevant. I pulled parts from the article I feel are most appropriate. For example, Park describes three Korean generational groups:
The “Shinsedae” or “new generation” between 26 and 35. (She also refers to this as the “2635” generation. It can also include younger people.)
The progressive 386 generation between ages 36 and 45.
Older conservatives or those over 46
Ms. Park notes…Who are the new generation called Shinsedae?
Since the early 1990s the term Shinsedae, which means “new generation” in Korean, has come to be used to refer to a specific group of people in Korean society. Though there were other terms for this new or younger generation — such as the X-generation and the N-generation — they all share a common denominator of being the “post-386 generation,” which means they are free from ideological or political bias.
The “386 generation,” named after 386 computers, was coined in the 1990s to describe those in their late 30s and 40s who were “born in the 1960s and attended university in the 1980s.” It is the 386 generation who spent most of their youth fighting for democracy under authoritarian rule and who had a shared generational experience and culture for the first time in Korean history. They are now in decision-making positions in all fields, including political, economic, social and cultural areas. The 386 generation will go down in history as a very active and passionate group of people who toppled a military dictatorship of more than three decades and built democracy in Korea.
The 1990s was an era of a widening generation gap. Farewell to ideology, a new generation emerged – a generation that is heavily immersed in consumption. This group of Koreans was born during a time of rapid economic growth, spent their childhood in a prosperous environment and experienced the 1997 Asian financial crisis. They are substantial beneficiaries of the nation’s democracy, which was achieved by the blood, sweat and tears of the 386 generation. And they are the first generation who went abroad for travel and study with the liberalization of overseas travel and the advent of an era of information and communications.
Unlike the 386 generation who fought for democratization and ideological issues, what worries this new generation most is the high unemployment of university graduates. While the 386 generation enjoyed a booming economy with plenty of jobs available, the new generation is struggling with unemployment and riding the tide of “fierce competition.”
When Korea was hit by the Asian financial crisis, they were in high school or college. Raised in an affluent society with full access to the Internet, this new generation witnessed their fathers being kicked out of jobs and their families collapsing. After having to submit resumes without success, they have faced the grim reality that getting a job is crucial but never easy. The Asian financial crisis changed the mindset of this new generation in Korea to put the economy before anything else.
These young people, the first beneficiaries of globalization in Korea, have strong confidence and pride in their country, especially after the Korean national soccer team performance in the 2002 World Cup and with overseas travel and study much more common.
Their version of nationalism — which is based on the belief that Korea is not inferior whatsoever to the United States or Japan — is fundamentally different from the nationalism of past generations with vestiges of Japanese colonial rule of Korea.
A survey conducted by the Chosun Daily also showed that more than a third of this new generation has a positive impression of Japan, often associating it with its computer games and comic strips. With regard to the question of where they want to immigrate or work, apart from Korea, Australia was ranked first, followed by the U.S. and Japan, respectively.
Those aged between 26 and 35, also known as the “2635 Generation,” represent 17% of the national population and 24% of the working population.
Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Comments are welcome.
