THE CAPITALISM IS NOSHING SEOUL AND SHITTING MASS POVERTY

Euljiro 2-ga, area no 5 - a residential area located between Euljiro Avenue and Cheonggyecheon Avenue - is another, but extreme example for Lee Myeong-bak’s (Seoul’s mayor) megalomaniac plans on the costs of the ordinary people, who are living and working there. Here, the area is since decades developed, the construction mafia wants to tear down a huge area for to build a two-tower-building, another project without any sense, except to make maximum profit. And this under the motto: “The harmony of nature and human” and “Luxury living and business” - which excludes itself actually mutually.

To make room for this new monster of capitalism – similar the megalomaniac project in Cheongjin-dong (between Jongno and Jongno District Office/a photo report you'll find here) - at least 200 shops, restaurants and small size manufactures alone in the first floors will be disappeared or are already destroyed. But not only small houses will be disappeared, also for example a 8-floor house will be torn down in the near future. But – also similar the struggle of the activists in Cheongjin-dong, now they are since 39 in a 24-hours sit-in strike in front of Jongno District Office – here the activists in Euljiro 2-ga are fighting back. About one year ago they got the information about the construction plans, to be realized by Mirae-ro (To the Future) RED Co., owned by the Korean-Canadian citizen Gil Yeong-woo. As first reaction some activists there founded the Shopkeepers Neighborhood Solidarity Committee. Some demonstrations followed. In the beginning of this year Gil Yeong-woo started to threaten the activists with using force to drive them out off their homes and/or shops. November 7, it was a Sunday, at 4 o’clock in the morning 1.000 criminal gangsters, hired by the construction company, like usual backed by large units of the riot cops (unit 1001…), stormed the area. By using massive violence they drove the people, mainly still in their beds, out off their homes. For example the 80 years old grandmother Kim Wi-mun, her home was located behind her small restaurant (“Her potato soup was the most famous in the whole area, so delicious.”, a neighbor said), was woken up by force used by some gangsters, standing in front of her bed. Even without shoes she just was kicked out like a bundle of rag. As a result later she had to be brought to the emergency station.

After 13 hours of fierce fights the gangsters left the area and 150 shops, offices, workshops and restaurants were destroyed.

The map of the affected area. All the marked places are more or less destroyed.

Since November 8 55 activists are occupying a part of the main road between Cheonggyecheon and Euljiro and publicize day by day the aim of their struggle, by using two huge loudspeakers, installed on the roof of one of the houses there. But on the other hand still many shop keepers are working daily such as nothing were happen. Perhaps they can’t believe that they will be the next victims, but actually without any doubt they will be the next. And if we follow the plans of Seoul’s mayor Lee than we may imagine, that the tearing-down-campaign will not stop until it reaches Dongdaemun area – if we don’t stop that! If we can’t stop that, in the near future thousands of families will be driven in poverty and away from the society. If the construction mafia in collaboration with the “authorities” can reach their aim, alone in Euljiro 2-ga, area no 5, more than 5.000 (!) people will be affected and suffer.

Behind this new monster of capitalism...

...Euljiro 2-ga, no 5 area is located.

Work places for dozens of employees

A former restaurant, already emptied and "ready" to be torn down.

All what's left over from a new cleared house

Also here: the future is black

Already with a high metal wall around a large area, "ready" to be torn down.

Here, the same area, they already started to destroy workshops

A restaurant between two houses be torn down soon, possibly even this it will not survive.

A courtyard of a traditional Korean house

A narrow lane behind Cheonggyecheong with traditional Korean houses.

The houses on the feft side are already emptied

Small workshops on Cheonggyecheon without any future

But the organized residents don't want to give up and are fighting back.

SMASH CAPITALISM!