Chapter 290
Chapter 290
A public discussion date has been set.
Mayor Won Sang-hoon was in a very difficult mood.
In fact, no matter how the discussion progresses and the conclusion is reached, there is nothing to lose after the strong progress. I’m already being scorned, and if things go well, I’ll build a dormitory, and if things go wrong, I end up not building a dormitory.
However, Mayor Won Sang-hoon is different. He has no choice but to care about the trend of public opinion whether he wins or loses, unless he will retire from politics at the end of Mayor of Seoul.
If you win, the votes from college students will drop, and if you lose, the votes from the residents will drop.
‘I hope you will respond to the discussion.’
Which chaebol will appear in the public debate? So, of course, I thought I would refuse, but I agreed too easily.
Anyway, this is what I suggested, and as long as I receive the ball from that side, I have no choice but to leave.
While preparing for the debate, Jang Hyun-joon, floor leader of the New Political Party, came to the city hall and said:
“You better be careful, Mayor. As you may know, there is no one who has seen good things with Kang Jin-hoo.”
“… … .”
* * *
Before the discussion, we shook hands lightly.
“Hello, Mayor.”
Mayor Won Sang-hoon took my hand and smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Kang. I’ve always wanted to see you once, and here I am. Let’s make a good discussion together today.”
“of course.”
His mouth is smiling, but his expression is not very good. He tapped my hand as if asking for a favor.
The discussion moderator is Song Seok-hoon, a famous news anchor. We sat facing each other with the moderator in between, and the audience surrounded us.
Cameras all over the place reflected on us. As it is broadcast live on terrestrial channels as well as various video sites such as A-Tube, you can watch it in foreign countries. As interest grew, some sites even supported subtitles or simultaneous interpretation.
In my opinion, it is a national disgrace to even discuss such a topic.
Moderator Song Seok-hoon first introduced the topic of this discussion and opinions of the pros and cons, and the discussion began.
Mayor Won Sang-hoon spoke first.
“Before we start the discussion, I am not against building dormitories at all. The dormitory issue is a very sensitive matter. So, I want to say that we need to collect the opinions of local residents and adjust the timing and scale. I think CEO Kang Jin-hoo will agree on this point.”
I shook my head.
“no. I don’t agree at all. When building a dormitory, we need to collect the opinions of the students, so why take the opinions of the residents?”
Mayor Won Sang-hoon was slightly perplexed, but he said calmly.
“The housing issue is a very sensitive issue in the administration of Seoul. It is difficult to immediately allow the construction of large-scale dormitories in conditions of high population density and poor traffic conditions. The Seoul Metropolitan Government itself is planning to expand housing support for young people, but if the sudden announcement causes confusion in the residents, students, and administration, wouldn’t everyone be harmed? Shouldn’t we also consider the damage to landlords caused by the supply of dormitories?”
“Then if you say you want to open a restaurant for 5,000 won next to a restaurant that costs 10,000 won per person, then you will have to prevent the restaurant from opening in consideration of damage to the merchants.”
“It is not. However, for a chaebol group to set up a buffet in the middle of a restaurant district and allow it to be eaten for free or for only 1,000 won, it is like telling the restaurant owners to close their doors. Rental business is also a citizen. These are people who make a living by renting a building, so shouldn’t they also establish a livelihood plan for them?”
I countered that.
“University students are also citizens. Shouldn’t there be a housing plan for college students? Each one-room building would cost more than 1 billion if not enough, which one would have more problems with livelihood?”
Mayor Won Sang-hoon refuted my words again.
“This is an issue that needs to be thoroughly discussed from a long-term perspective. Of course, there are renters who have a lot of money, but after paying back the loan and deposit, there are others who have to sit down on the street.”
“College students are already sitting on the streets. In order not to become homeless, we have no choice but to live in a gosiwon or a semi-basement.”
“So, we want to solve those issues through dialogue and communication with each other. I would like to propose to CEO Kang Jin-hoo to create a social consensus organization related to this issue.”
What else is this? Why should we create a social consensus mechanism on this issue?
“The situation has not come so far because there is no dialogue or compromise. They say they want to build a place for college students to live with the tuition paid by college students, but isn’t that the reason that they didn’t build it because they met opposition each time? But now that I said I was going to build it, they said no. There is a university, so there is a rental business around it, and there is a rental business, so the university is not there. Does it make sense not to build a dormitory for studio business owners?”
“I’m not saying don’t build it. I also went to college, and as mayor of Seoul, I have been involved in various welfare activities for young people. Saenaga has saved the budget and prepared a scholarship system for low-income college students, and is supporting young people to find jobs and lead a stable life with the Youth Allowance and Youth Passbook. Also, we will create a youth fund so that our young people can take on the challenge of starting a business… … .”
As the words got longer, the moderator stopped them.
“Mayor. This is a place to discuss dormitories, so please refrain from talking about things that are not related.”
“Okay. Anyway, I have been making corrections for the youth, and I would like to say that I sympathize with the difficulties of the youth in this dormitory problem.”
“I agree, but why can’t you build it?”
“I’m not saying that I won’t be able to do it, I’m saying that I will first create a social consensus mechanism and proceed through a great national compromise.”
“… … .”
So what the hell is this? Am I the only one who doesn’t understand?
“The problem is not the local residents who oppose it, but the politicians who are conscious of their votes and jump on it. Does it make sense to oppose dormitory construction just to get votes in elections?”
When I openly criticized, Mayor Won Sang-hoon said in an angry voice.
“The words are harsh. Building permits are the authority of the city. If it is unfair, there is a way to resolve it through litigation.”
“I know. Currently, Hyeonhong University and Cheongcheon University are in administrative litigation over the dormitory issue. But how many years do you think it will take for this process to be over? The mayor, the mayor, and the local council members will not know what will happen after their tenure is over anyway, but what about the students who are going back and forth between the gosiwon and the semi-basement right now?”
Moderator Song Seok-hoon said.
“Calm down, you two. We will pause the discussion for a moment, and from now on, we will have time to ask and answer questions with the audience.”
University students asked Mayor Won Sang-hoon.
“This is Kim Pil-sung, a third year student at Hyeonhong University. This photo is of the studio I live in now, and black mold has grown on one wall due to dew condensation. Do you know what the monthly rent for this house is? The deposit is 5 million won and 600,000 won including management fee. Another friend who luckily entered the dormitory lives in a better place than me for 300,000 won.”
“I know how hard it is for our college students. We will collect everyone’s opinions and resolve those issues through dialogue and communication.”
“This is Min Ji-yeon, a first-year student at Seongnak University. The boiler doesn’t work well, the window locks are broken, so every time I ask the landlord to fix it, they ignore me as a young student.”
“There were such difficulties. We will work with the ward office and community center to improve it.”
The college students talked about the difficulties of housing and the need for dormitories, and Mayor Won Sang-hoon responded with a blunt answer.
This time it was my turn.
A middle-aged woman spoke with her microphone.
“This is Kim Sook-ja from Seodaemun-gu. I am absolutely against dormitories. The child is currently attending elementary school, and there is an elementary school in front of the dormitory site. But wouldn’t it be a big problem for children’s safety if we started construction to build a dormitory there?”
I tilted my head.
“I’m saying I don’t understand what you’re saying right now, but is there a risk of hurting children if you do construction there?”
“of course. Elementary school students pass by on their way to and from school, how dangerous would it be? It also blows a lot of dust.”
“Then, even if I want to give up building the dormitory and build a cultural center and sports center that local residents can use for free on the site, shouldn’t it be done because it can cause problems for the safety of children going to and from school?”
“Oh, no. That’s fine… … .”
Reluctantly, the middle-aged woman next to him accepted the microphone.
“I’m Soo-ae’s mother, Cha So-hyun from Gangbuk-gu. Our child is now in elementary school, and college students behave affectionately around the dormitory, which is not good for education and looks a bit like that.”
“It’s not good for college students to be educated, and it looks a bit like elementary school students wandering around.”
“What, what?”
I looked at the material and said.
“Do you know how many motels there are near the site? Six in a 500 meter radius alone. If you are concerned about the negative impact on the education of elementary school students due to the act of affection, shouldn’t all nearby motels be closed? Are you saying it can be a motel, but not a dormitory? So, if I tell you to build a motel here, won’t you object?”
“If students smoke in front of us, how about our children’s health?”
I wasn’t crazy. Anyone who has heard of it would think that the moment you inhale cigarette smoke while walking down the street, you will get lung cancer.
“Isn’t that the original college town? A one-room village has already been formed, and the students living there must have smoked, so have you neglected our children’s health?”
“Oh, that’s it… … .”
“If it’s for the health of the children, shouldn’t it be necessary to push out the one-room village and expel college students to another place?”
I said looking at Mayor Won Sang-hoon.
“What do you think, Mayor? Citizens are concerned about the health of their children. Are you thinking of demolishing the studio around the elementary school?”
“That’s an extreme opinion. We have to solve problems through dialogue and communication.”
“… … .”
gnome’s conversation and communication. At this point, I would like to make a great compromise by creating a social consensus mechanism to decide whether or not to wrap it in someone else’s house ancestral rites.
“I am Malja Choi from Mapo-gu. Our residents are not against the dormitory itself. However, if you want to build a dormitory, you have to invest in amenities for the local residents as well. What will happen to the residents if you only want to build a dormitory with your daughter?”
The people sitting together nodded their heads as if sympathizing.
Perhaps this is the true intention of everyone. If you oppose for the sake of opposition, you think you can get anything.
I just cut it off.
“I will tell you clearly so that you do not have unnecessary expectations in the future. If I didn’t build the dormitory, I didn’t build it, so I don’t intend to give any benefits to the area.”
At my words, she screamed angrily.
“What did you say? Are you saying that the residents only want to embrace the hate facilities? Then our women’s association will oppose it to the end!”
I nodded.
“Yes. Oppose to the end.”
“… … .”
Moderator Song Seok-hoon said.
“One of the main issues in this agricultural struggle is the housing right of college students and the right of renters to survive. Then we will listen to the opinions of those who rent business in the university district.”
On one side sat an old man. One of them, an old man, grabbed the microphone and said.
“I am Chul-soo Park, who runs a rental business in front of Sehan University. And he is currently the chairman of the ‘Seoul City One Room Rental Association Committee’.”
Why are there so many organizations in Korea?
The old man said in a loud voice.
“If a large conglomerate builds a dormitory, is it more than just telling the elderly people like us to die, earning a daily income from rental business? For the sake of livelihood, the city should never allow dormitories!”
“So, there is nothing wrong with building the building itself, but you are saying that it shouldn’t be used as a dormitory that is rented out to students at a low price, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then there will be no problem if we build the building and not rent it out?”
“What do you mean?”
“It is literally. If the dormitory says no, I will build a building on the site and then rent it out to no one until it wears out and collapses on its own.”
“What, what?”
“I have no intention of selling the land. If the dormitory is not available, we will build the building and leave it alone, and if the building cannot be built, we will leave it in ruins forever.”
The land purchased to build the dormitory is a net land adjacent to the university. Which company would just play around with the site?
But I have a lot of money, so that’s okay. You have to sell it to get a few pennies. However, if there are buildings or vacant lots in the neighborhood that are not maintained and are falling down, it would be very bad to see.
The old man shouted with his face reddened.
“Where is the young laborer who is threatening with no frills? Did your parents teach you that?”
“… … .”
The family is not touching.
“It is live now. Please refrain from saying such things.”
The moderator stopped him, but the old man continued to run rampant.
“You’re talking about an adult! That’s arrogant!”
I looked straight at the old man and said calmly.
“I don’t know how much the old man owns, but I will buy it for 10 billion won right now. Are you okay then?”
“What, what? A hundred billion?”
“Yes. 10 billion.”
The wide-eyed old man asked in a soft voice, as if when he was angry.
“Hey, is that really true?”
I said with a smile.
“no. It was a joke trying to lighten the mood.”
At those words, the old man’s face turned bright red.(Read more @ wuxiax.com)
“This child dares to make fun of an adult… … Gagging!”
The old man suddenly grabbed the back of his neck and fell.
Isn’t it the president’s signature performance to fall by the back of his neck?
Other elderly people around them shouted, supporting the old man.
“Are you okay?”
“Hey! This will kill people!”
“Is it okay to kill people just because I have a lot of money?”
“Kill me too, you bastard!”
In case something like this could happen, the emergency medicine department of Seoseong Hospital was on standby. Doctors and nurses rushed to take the old man’s blood pressure and pulse.
The doctor looked at the old man carefully and then said:
“There is nothing wrong. His blood pressure is a little high, but within the normal range.”
Then the old man cried and cried.
“Gosh! I’m dying, I’m dying!”
However, he was immediately taken to the hospital, just in case. The old man continued to shout as he was carried away.
“Jinhoo Kang kills people!”
When he hears a loud voice, he is very reassured.
While cleaning the hall for a while, the audience suddenly began to roar. He was all looking at their phones and chatting about something.
The staff quickly delivered the material, and moderator Song Seok-hoon looked at the material and said:
“Wait. I just got the news, and OTK Company has announced a basic science support plan along with the establishment of the Homin Foundation.”
I nodded.
“Yes. We are planning to raise a KRW 1 trillion fund to invest in Korea’s basic science fields. We plan to provide scholarships to students in basic science research and experiments, and to establish the center and related departments.”
Companies often support university research and experimentation. Usually, it is to obtain necessary data or to achieve results.
However, we plan to invest 1 trillion won solely for the development of basic science at no cost. This was the largest amount of private scientific support.
Moderator Song Seok-hoon said.
“That’s great, but is there any reason to announce this during the discussion?”
“Yes. There is. This is to say that if a building permit is not obtained for at least one of the candidate dormitory sites in Seoul within a week, the 1 trillion won support plan will be completely scrapped.”
Mayor Won Sang-hoon was surprised by my words.
“Come on, wait. what do you mean? What does that have to do with dorms?”
I asked him.
“Why not? Don’t you need to solve the housing problem first to study and conduct research and experiments? What kind of basic science would you push students to develop on a board where even housing could not be solved? The mayor has always said that the country develops only when science advances, and he expressed his ambition to nurture Seoul into a cutting-edge science city. Now, 1 trillion won of basic science support is in the hands of the mayor. What would you like to do?”
“… … .”
Mayor Won Sang-hoon didn’t say anything and just broke out in a cold sweat.
