Interview: Mr. Kim Hyong-O, Speaker of the National Assembly

Among the dozens of new democracies born during the so-called third wave of global democratization that began in the mid-1970s, Korea is often considered one of the most analytically interesting. It offers an interesting case on the institutionalization of representative democracy in a country that started off as a pure administrative state.

Developments in the Korean Parliament have not been smooth during the past 60 years, and this body has undergone several dramatic changes in major functions, political composition and administrative infrastructure since the establishment of the First Republic in 1948.
The Korean people have engraved democratic values and faith in their hearts and built up their potential through numerous failures and frustrations in history. The “miraculous” quality of South Korea’s democratic development arises from the fact that the very events and features which critics point to as signs and symptoms of weakness were time and again turned into opportunities to enact far-reaching reforms. As a result, a polity that was suffering from poverty, political unrest, and dictatorship as recently as twenty years ago has now joined the ranks of industrialized democracies. To be sure, there are still areas in which democratization and liberalization need to make more progress, but the foundations of a democratic order have been consolidated.
In an exclusive interview, Mr. Kim Hyong-O, Speaker of the National Assembly spoke on the political system in the country and the task ahead to make it a more mature democracy. The fiollowign are excerpts

-Korea has achieved economic development and realized democracy over a relatively short period of slightly more than 60 years. This has been made possible thanks to the Korean people’s spirit of “Everything is Possible” and the achievement has been even more remarkable since it came while we were rising from the ashes of the Korean War.

But there has been a high price that Korea has had to pay as well. For example, Korea was under dictatorship for a long period of time and some aspects of democracy have not been fully implemented yet. This heritage and legacy have left us quite aggressive with a warrior-like attitude even more than 20 years after military rule came to an end. I believe that now is the time for us to change all that. We should make dialogue, reconciliation, tolerance and acceptance of differences become the norms of our political practices.

Among other things we need to address, we should improve the overall system of government. First, the Constitution should be amended. In 1987 when the Constitution was last revised, introduction of the direct election system of President meant the introduction of democracy itself. However, this step marked just the beginning of democracy, not its completion. The independence of the legislature, the executive and the judiciary branches of government should be completely ensured and the constitutional form of government needs to be fully respected. The current system puts a concentration of powers in the President’s hands and has led to a number of unfavorable side effects. One President after another has been mired in misfortune. In addition, the National Assembly Hall has become an arena for conflict to grab power. Refurbishing some of the systems on the edges cannot complete needed repairs at the heart. We need to change the main engine of the political system by ensuring the fair division and distribution of powers.

Second, operation of the National Assembly needs to be improved. It is shameful to admit that there is still offensive language and physical violence used in National Assembly meetings. Such violence should be put to a complete halt. I believe that a bicameral system such as that used by other advanced nations based on a parliamentary system could be a good option for us. If there are guarantees of the chance to raise objections and discuss issues thoroughly, there will be less room for justifying the practice of using physical force or abusive words. Another issue is the limited power given to the Speaker of the National Assembly. Once negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties break down, all activities of the National Assembly are put to a halt. The powerless Speaker is left with no option but just to wish the leadership of the ruling and opposition party would come to an agreement. This needs to change to allow the ruling and opposition parties to focus on policy-making and leave the overall proceedings of the National Assembly in the hands of the Speaker.

Last but not the least, National Assembly members should be freed from the yoke of their party platform. This means that an environment that allows them to confer and decide based on their beliefs as independent representatives of their constituents should be created. This doesn’t mean that I would deny the value in having a party platform itself. In party politics, a platform is what determines the identity of a party and the criteria on which the public base their selection. The problem comes, however, when the platform is too rigid. The days when dogmatic party limitations dominated the National Assembly should come to an end very soon.

-As all of you are well aware, the global financial crisis, sparked off by Lehman Brothers of the USA in September 2008, dealt a strong blow to the Korean economy. Since the global financial system is very closely intertwined, no country is free from the shock of the current crisis. However, Korea was more vulnerable than many other countries since its industrial structure has been heavily dependent on exports.

The foreign exchange market in Korea was directly hit by shock waves as we saw the value of the Korean won drop to more than 1,500 won to the U.S. dollar from an earlier 900 won to the dollar exchange rate. Every sector of the Korean economy was exposed to the shock. Foreign capital was poised to flee the country while domestic consumption and investment were basically frozen. Among other difficulties, skyrocketing oil prices were a huge burden to Korea, which has few natural energy resources of its own.

Notwithstanding such difficulties, all players in every different sector of the economy wisely dealt with the situation. It is true that the lessons that we got from experiences we had in 1997, which forced Korea to rely on a relief package from the International Monetary Fund, helped us greatly. While stabilizing the fluctuating exchange rate by putting in place a currency swapping system with the USA and Japan, the Korean government made efforts to revive the market by lowering interest rates and expanding government spending. In addition, the National Assembly passed a supplementary budget package in time to boost the economy putting aside longstanding conflicts that the different parties had faced over the Media Bill.

I remember that the supplementary budget volume reached around 30 trillion won, which was the largest in Korean history. Jobs for young people were created with the budget to hire interns in administrative departments while increased subsidies were provided to the poorest Koreans who did not even earn the minimum cost of living. Budgetary assistance for corporate restructuring and large-scale construction projects in the public sector were very timely and necessary at that time.

In these areas, I think political leaders have a big role to play in creating jobs and coming up with policies for the poor. Making steady efforts to ease regulation and boost regional economies are what we should be doing as well. We need to protect the economically weak because that is what is required from a representative of the people and devote ourselves to creating policies that boost the country’s growth. A good example of success in this way was the supplementary budget for 2009, which was approved with collaboration between the ruling and opposition parties that transcended all their political differences and interests. Continuing to get things done in the same way will do a lot to help the general public recover confidence in Korean politics.

-The first initiative I announced after inauguration was a call for revision of the Constitution. I did so because I have long had a strong belief that revising the Constitution is a necessary prerequisite for the development of Korean politics and Korea as a nation. The Constitution should be revised into a highly advanced set of principles that fully guarantee the division of powers.

By this, I mean that the current major trends of globalization, localization and informatization should be integrated into the values of the Constitution. In other words, the trends that have swept the world since 1987 when our Constitution was last revised should be reflected so that it can provide a new national vision better fitting the 21st century. Another challenge that I have made to the current system is the demand that we get rid of the evils of the current Presidential system, which gives too much concentrated power to the President. We can only have a well-functioning democracy in place when our political system is fully established on the strong foundation of a clear and fair division of governmental power.

It goes without saying that a move to revise the Constitution must be led by the National Assembly. As an organization that represents the people and a sanctuary of the public’s will, the National Assembly should collect opinions and win the sympathy of the people on this issue. What should be done first and foremost in order to achieve needed change is to form a commission for Constitutional revision at the National Assembly. If we miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, our failure will be long remembered, both by the general public today and throughout history.

-Balanced regional development is aimed at enhancing Korea’s national competitiveness by achieving coordinated development of its metropolitan areas and rural regions, as well as resolving the problem of excessive population in metropolitan areas, which has been such a great burden for us. Given the fact that a quarter of the nation’s population lives in Seoul – more than half of it in the Seoul Metropolitan area – it should be no surprise that we consider it a number one issue to tackle. This has also been a problem that every administration has committed to solve, but none have yet succeeded.

However, in reality, the original intent has often been distorted by conflicts of power among different regions and in some cases, it has even degenerated into an emotional war of attrition. Political leaders, including National Assembly members, must put their best efforts into solving this problem. Striving to bring more profit to one’s own region can only worsen the chronic disease that we have suffered from for so long, regionalism.

Reform of the regional administrative system has focused on the integration of different nearby areas. Currently, the special committee on reform of the regional administrative system at the National Assembly is working on system improvement while procedures are under way to integrate Seongnam, Gwangju, and Hanam into one administrative unit and Masan, Changwon and Jinhae into another.

In a nutshell, we can no longer live in the old regional administrative system, which was formed 500 years ago when carts pulled by horses and oxen were the main means of transport in our nation. By integrating the municipalities, public office buildings can be more efficiently shared and utilized and the number of government officials can be cut by integrating general affairs departments and other functions that can be shared.

The reform of the regional administrative system is part of our responses to prepare for an aging society. Japan has also been making efforts to solve a similar problem it is facing – a drastic decline in regional tax income – by integrating its basic small administrative units. The challenges posed by an aging society are perhaps the most urgent and serious issues that Korea faces today.

One thing, however, that we have to keep in mind in the process of integrating local areas is that it should not harm or damage the traditions or values of local municipalities that have been handed down over hundreds of years. This is the main reason why we should carry out the integration process by first gaining the consent of residents living in the affected areas and generating their voluntary participation.

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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The next book on my reading list is definitely going to be “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”

It tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor black tobacco farmer who was the unwitting donor of cells from her cancerous tumor, which were cultured to create an immortal cell line for medical research. This is now known as the HeLa cell line and has had a groundbreaking impact on modern medicine. The book tracks the story of the source of the HeLa cells, Henrietta Lacks, and documents the cell line's impact on both modern medicine and the Lacks family.

Born in 1920, she died from an aggressive cervical cancer at 31, leaving behind five children. No obituaries of Mrs. Lacks appeared in newspapers. She was buried in an unmarked grave.
The cells taken from her tumor, without permission, were put into mass production and traveled around the globe- even into space, on an unmanned satellite to determine whether human tissues could survive zero gravity. They were the first immortal human cells ever grown in culture, and in the half-century since her death, have continually been used for research into cancer, AIDS, the effects of radiation and toxic substances, gene mapping, and countless other scientific pursuits.
Read the review of this book here, , and interview with the author Rebecca Skloot here.
As the New York Times states:

It is “a thorny and provocative book about cancer, racism, scientific ethics and crippling poverty...It is also, from first page to last, a meditation on medical ethics — on the notion of informed consent, and on the issue of who owns human cells. When they’re in your body, it’s obvious — they’re yours. But once they’ve been removed? All bets are clearly off."

I am sure you will be tempted to read this book.

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Citizen paparazzis in Korea

Want to earn some money by being a papparazi? Apparently the government pays out huge rewards.

As this article notes:

The central and local governments are moving to expand the “paparazzi” system this year with the goal of reducing illegal acts through “voluntary citizen participation,” and the number of applications has correspondingly risen greatly. The “Emergency Exit Paparazzi” system was launched on Jan. 1 as a trial period during which citizens can report blocked emergency exits in buildings used for business purposes. In addition, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) recently announced plans to introduce the “Education Paparazzi,” saying that it would take reports on educational improprieties. On Jan. 19, the Korean Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC) decided to accept reports written by citizens on hidden assets overseas. This means that three more paparazzi systems have already been added in 2010. The Education Paparazzi system offers reward money of up to 100 million Won, while those who report hidden overseas assets could receive reward money of up to 500 million Won.

Well-known examples of paparazzi systems operated by the government and other organizations include the “Bong-parazzi,” who tracks the issuing of free plastic bags, “Soe-parazzi,” who check for false labeling of beef place of origin, “Kkong-parazzi,” who report on the improper disposal of cigarette butts and “No-parazzi,” who report on illegal karaoke operation. The systems, however, are not limited to these examples. There are more than 60 systems altogether, including “Pharm-parazzi,” who monitor violations of the division of labor between pharmacy and hospital and whose participants require a certain degree of expertise, and “Ssal-parazzi,” who monitor false labeling of rice place of origin. The amount of reward money given varies widely, from tens of thousands of won to hundreds of millions.

Time to polish your sleuthing skills. Or better still, join one of those academies that train you!

In light of this situation, paparazzi academies have started to become more and more specialized. The “M” Academy teaches students how to use high-tech equipment ranging from ordinary digital cameras to the kind of infrared pinhole cameras used by security agents, and instructs them on techniques for on-site filming of activities such as prostitution and trash disposal. For course fees totaling around one million Won per month, the academy will teach people how to take “profitable” pictures, including those of entertainers appearing before prosecutors, and how to avoid legal obstacles such as restrictions on violating an individual’s right to his or her own image. For the short course, a two-day program where students study from a “reward system textbook” made by the academy itself, the course fee is around 250,000 Won. The industry estimates that there around 20 such formal paparazzi academies nationwide.

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iPad for iPricks

Having just got my iPhone a few weeks back, I am not very keen to spend some more money for an oversized version- the iPad- which will be available here starting March.
While I must confess that my iPhone has not disappointed, I would rather wait for version 2 of the iPad which will most probably come fitted with a camera, allow for multi-tasking, and support flash. However, that will not be.
My girlfriend’s birthday is in June, and she seems to be besotted by the iPad. All my attempts to convince here have failed>> > so I guess I will just have to go ahead and buy a version of the tablet that will be outdated soon.
Meanwhile, here is a hilarious column by "Charlie" Brooker in The Guardian. In case you do not know, he is a British journalist, comic writer and broadcaster, whose style of humor is savage and profane, with surreal elements and a consistent satirical pessimism.
Read the entire column here.

It's an iPhone for people who can't be arsed holding an iPhone up to their face. A slightly-further-away iPhone that keeps your lap warm. A weird combination of portable and cumbersome: too small to replace your desktop, too big to fit in your pocket, unless you're a clown. It can play video, but really – do you want to spend hours staring at a movie in your lap? Sit through Lord of the Rings and you'd need an osteopath to punch the crick out of your neck afterwards. It can also be used as an ebook, something newspapers are understandably keen to play up, but because it's got an illuminated display rather than a fancy non-backlight "digital ink" ebook screen, it'll probably leave your eyes feeling strained, as though your pupils are wearing tight shoes….

The iPad falls between two stools – not quite a laptop, not quite a smartphone. In other words, it's the spork of the electronic consumer goods world. Or rather it would be, were it not for one crucial factor: it looks ideal for idly browsing the web while watching telly….

Absurdly, Apple keeps trying to pretend it'll make your life more efficient. Come off it. It's an oblong that lights up. I'm sick of being pitched to like I'm a one-man corporation undertaking a personal productivity audit anyway…

Some people are complaining because it doesn't have a camera in it. Spoiled techno-babies, all of them. Just because something is technically possible, it doesn't mean it has to be done. It's technically possible to build an egg whisk that makes phonecalls, an MP3 player that dispenses capers or a car with a bread windscreen. Humankind will continue prosper in their absence. Not everything needs a 15-megapixel lens stuck on the back, like a little glass anus. Give these ingrates a camera and they'd whine that it didn't have a second camera built into it. What are you taking photographs of anyway? Your camera collection?

And don't bring up videocalls to defend yourself: it'd be creepy talking to a disembodied two-dimensional head being held at arm's length, and besides, the iPad is too heavy to hold in front of your face for long, so you'd end up balancing it in your lap, which means both callers would find themselves staring up one another's others nostrils, like a pair of curious dental patients. …

I just hope buying an iBook won't turn me into an iPrick. I want a machine that essentially makes itself invisible, not a rectangular bragging stone…

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Funny stuff..

From here.

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US caused Haiti earthquake? You got to be kidding!

I really pity the people who believe this nonsense!

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Interview: Ms. Julie Ahn, Managing Director/CCIM Investment Department, DTZ Korea, Ltd.

DTZ is one of the ‘big four’ global real estate advisers operating across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific and the Americas.
With a team of more than 12,500 property professionals and a system operating across people operating from 151 cities in 46 countries, DTZ works with clients to provide innovative real estate, capital markets and business solutions worldwide.
At the forefront of all key markets across the world, DTZ’s local knowledge and expertise makes it one of the top three commercial real estate advisers in EMEA, a pre-eminent retail property adviser in the UK and EMEA, the second-largest UK commercial full-service property adviser and market leader in China.
As noted by Ms. Julie Ahn, Managing Director/CCIM Investment Department, DTZ Korea, Ltd., the company’s transactional business advises on the purchase, sale, leasing and acquisition of all types of commercial and residential real estate. Professional advisory services include the management of real estate portfolios, building consultancy and valuation, as well as capital advice to maximize the value of real estate as an asset class.
“The service we provide to multi-national companies, major financial institutions, property companies, banks, governments and other public sector organizations is not only comprehensive, it’s also backed by the best research and intelligence in the real estate industry,” she said.
She added that DTZ Holdings plc, which is the largest shareholder in DTZ operations, is a publicly quoted company, listed on the London Stock Exchange since 1987. DTZ is in major centers from San Francisco to Shanghai, Stockholm to Sydney with.
In Europe DTZ has one of the strongest market presences of any real estate adviser. In Asia Pacific, DTZ maintains a 6,500-strong team at offices in Australia, New Zealand, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea.
Each office offers on the ground expertise in all aspects of the Asia Pacific property market. DTZ has a North American practice which is represented by DTZ Rockwood, DTZ Barnicke and DTZ FHO Partners.
In Mainland China, operational since 1993, DTZ’s fully licensed offices are in 15 cities namely Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wuhan and Xian. It is largest and longest established real estate advisory firm in this fastest growing market.
“In Korea, DTZ launched Seoul office in 2008, the first and only company holding National Valuation Licensed appraisers among international real estate firms in Korea,” she said.
Ms. Ahn said that around the world, the company professionals offer a range of integrated services to leading multinational companies, major financial institutions, governments, developers and investors. “Among the range of comprehensive services we offer are consultancy and research, investment and capital market, valuation, overseas project services, leasing and acquisition and property management.”
DTZ’s suite of services for investors includes capital advisory services, investor consultancy, investment management and invest agency: the full complement of capabilities enabling our clients to exploit the potential of real estate investment market.
From the initial case for investment, to the design and planning of strategy, to the nuts and bolts of financial vehicles, right through to negotiation of acquisition and disposal and finally closing the deal, our specialist teams are able to create unique, bespoke and profitable solutions tailored to clients own needs and objectives, she said.
The workscope in this area includes provision of up-to-date market information and analysis; comprehension and analyses of client’s needs, targets and capabilities; formulation of marketing plans and schedules and disposal solutions, including public tenders, private treaties or public auctions; acquisition and disposal agency on real estate property.
The company has a number of Certified Appraisers and members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor (UK), something that is its plus point vis-a-vis rivals.
“The company provides the global-level appraisal services with licensed experts and abundant experiences. Leveraging their special experience of the local and Asian property markets, our team offers a comprehensive range of valuation services,” she noted.
The workscope includes mortgage and financing valuations; statutory valuations like compensation, tax and litigation; capital market valuation for project financing; flotation mergers and acquisitions and accounting, transaction advisory services, due diligence and non-performing loans.
“We also provide comprehensive services of consultancy, investment, management and valuation for overseas project. And especially in Mainland China, where DTZ operates fully licensed offices in 15 cities. The workscope includes property development consultancy for overseas projects; valuation and due diligence for overseas projects; leasing and acquisition agency for overseas projects, property management; and property market study and feasibility study for overseas project,” Ms. Ahn said.
As regards leasing and acquisition, the company caters to corporate , retail, manufacturing and public sector occupiers , providing them the most comprehensive and effective real estate agency services available in the world.
“Our full service package in leasing includes the sourcing of locations and premises, rent reviews, restructures and renewals. We provide the services of acting behalf of developers, landlords and tenants.
Our team is renowned for their brokerage skills and has proven track records in assisting both owners and buyers in all major Asian markets,” she said.
The company works with clients every step of the way from the initial pre-leasing stage, and the team assists with everything from building design and target list preparation to advertising and marketing campaigns.
“If any company is looking to source premises overseas, our extensive and unrivalled network is perfectly placed to help make your move a successful one.”
Ms. Ahn said that DTZ’s property management team provides the fully-integrated, accessible and consistently reliable services that make quality cost-effective. Anticipating and responding to specific requirements, the company offers a full range of services that cover every stage of the property’s life.
The workscope in this area includes pre-project consultancy services, professional building management services, capital replacement services and lease management service.
Global investors, multinational occupiers, property companies and public sector organizations reflect the diversity of the worldwide audience benefiting from DTZs established reputation in consultancy.
In property development consultancy DTZ provides studies on socio economic background, city planning and infrastructure development, initial land use concept, conceptual master layout and initial development parameters. It also provides support to clients in seeking governmental approval on development plans, supply demand analysis, market feasibility studies and project positioning
Advice on the optimum development mix, density and land use plan, advice on appropriate facilities, exterior and interior design, architectural and landscape features and advice on marketing strategy is also provided.
The strategic consulting includes advice on investment strategies and decision making, market study, feasibility study, cash flow study while Real estate asset and portfolio strategy includes property market forecasts, determination of revenue structure, evaluation of capital budgeting projects and advice on financing arrangements.

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Interview: Ms. Anna Ranova Kerr, Tengbom Architects

Tengbom is an architectural firm in Sweden which offers services ranging from urban master planning, healthcare and research facilities, offices, and retail, commercial, residential, and industrial buildings to interior design and layout.
Founded in 1906 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with additional offices in Gothenburg and Helsingborg, Sweden, Tengbom’s business concept is to offer a complete range of highly qualified, creative and cost effective architectural services, up to and including full project management and leadership services by its planning teams.
Tengbom’s architects regard the way that a building affects the environment as essential. This approach has made them experts in economic and social sustainable development.
As noted by Ms. Anna Ranova Kerr, Tengbom Architects, the company strives to find sustainable and energy efficient solutions with a positive impact – not only on society of today, but also on that of tomorrow.
In this context she noted that Sweden is well positioned with regard to sustainable urban planning, design and architecture. Stockholm was the first winner of the new European Green Capital award and will be European Green Capital in 2010. One of the key-drivers behind this is the strong Swedish tradition of co-operation between planning authorities, architects and developers.
“We think environmental features of a sustainable community should include: utilization and optimal use of local resources, using less, reuse or recycling, carbon neutral, renewable energy sources, energy efficient buildings, transport and mobility management, avoiding hazardous materials in construction and biodiversity,” she said.
With a team of – Architects – Landscape Architects – Urban Planners – Interior Designers Consultants – Tengbom is the third largest architectural firm in Sweden and one of the leading architectural offices in Scandinavia. Tengbom employs over 250 architects and engineers at offices in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Helsingborg, Kalmar, Malmö, Umeå and Uppsala.
“Our firm is one of the oldest in Europe, and has since its foundation in 1906 held its place in textbooks of architectural history as well as being in the forefront in modern times. We pride ourselves in being experts in our diverse fields. Our everyday work continuously fine tunes our professional skills and knowledgebase providing our customers with the knowledge and satisfaction that Tengbom will service all issues and concerns such as complex laws, regulations, and building codes.”
Tengbom’s competence in sustainable design has been developed over the years in a number of green urban planning and housing projects, ranging from Sweden to China.
Since 1997 Tengbom has been fortunate enough to take part in the planning and design of The Hammarby Sjöstad project in Stockholm. The project is a unique development in Sweden, both in terms of size, sustainable design and integrated planning work. Tengbom has taken part in the masterplan process, design, and implementation of the statutory plans, design guidelines, urban management, sustainability issues, and project co-ordination.
“We also designed the environmental information centre GlashusEtt at Hammarby Sjöstad. Environmental education/energy centres like GlashusEtt, are crucial to the on-going success and efficiency of the embedded technology to the community as a whole.”
The building is set in a park with a self-cleansing storm-water canal, surrounded by residential blocks. The building design is transparent in a double sense – from the energy saving double glass facade as well as its environmentally technological and educational content.
“Having been heavily involved in the development of Hammarby Sjöstad for the past ten years has made it possible for us to also work on projects with a focus on sustainable design in other parts of Europe, as well as in Asia and Africa,” she said.
Tengbom has recently designed an office building which has been awarded a GreenBuilding certificate, the first one in the Czech Republic. In Tanzania Tengbom is completing the BEX award winning ”House of Culture” project, a passively sustainable building and renovation of the National Museum in Dar es Salaam.
“The challenges abroad are quite different, but our experience is that the basic Swedish design approach, our holistic green perspective in combination with a strong local involvement creates a sound mix.”
Since Tengbom entered the Asian market four years ago, the company has participated in several projects in early stages with a focus on sustainable design. The growth and urbanization in Asia creates great challenges with regard to balancing growth as well as limiting negative social and environmental effects, she said.
For instance, since Tengbom entered the Chinese market a couple of years ago the company has been invited to take part in several projects focused on sustainable design that are comparable in size with Hammarby Sjöstad. The differences are that these projects are developed three or four times as fast – and that there are numerous projects of similar size under development in all the major cities in China.
At the moment, Tengbom is working on a number of projects not only in China, but also in countries such as India, England, and Tanzania.
“We apply sustainability skills and knowhow from Sweden in our international projects. At Tengbom we believe strongly that the opportunity to work on big and complex projects in various parts of the world make us better prepared to meet future challenges in fast changing and emerging markets.”
Ms. Ranova Kerr noted that at Tengbom, concept and aesthetics are important. But the passion is equally strong for the environment, quality assurance and customer relationships. This comprehensive view has made it one of the leading and fastest growing architectural firms in Scandinavia.
“Working within the tradition of Scandinavian architecture, we strive to find smart solutions for building cities that improve the well being of present, as well as future, generations. All our projects, irrespective of size, type and country, have one thing in common – apart from surface, we also contribute with substance. And just like when we first began in 1906, we are recognized for our new way of thinking and our ambition to create added value – socially, culturally and economically.”
Many of the buildings that Tengbom has designed over the years have become well known landmarks. In Stockholm, for example – where we started more than a century ago – the townscape is characterized by a number of classic Tengbom buildings, like the Concert Hall, the Högalid church as well as the second Hötorg building and the Bonnier building – two of the most distinguished high rise buildings in the city centre of Stockholm.
“We pride ourselves in being experts in our diverse fields. Our everyday work continuously fine tunes our professional skills and knowledgebase providing our customers with the knowledge and satisfaction that Tengbom will service all issues and concerns such as complex laws, regulations, and building codes,” she said.

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Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea

With the India-Korea FTA (they call it CEPA) now in force, it has not taken long for the Indian business community to form an association, to help improve economic relations between both sides.
The Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea  has been setup and was formally launched yesterday evening. It has the full backing of the Indian embassy and the launch event was actually organized by the Indian diplomats here in Korea. Although I hope the bureucrats do not interfer too much in its actual day to day activities...too much involvement by the Indian bureaucrats in any project has never been good.. A facilitating role is more than enough!
While the launch ceremony was slightly embarassing, with too many boring speeches, I am sure the ICCK will soon stand on its own feet. I am still not sure though that there are enough Indian companies here to join the chamber! It may eventually be filled up with 'individual members' who have an interest in India-Korea relations, more to use it as networking association like many of the other national chambers, and not the 'lobbying group' like Amcham and EUCCK, which have more clout with the Korean government officials.
As far as I know, while Korean investment in India is substantial (including the heavyweights Samsung, LG, Hyundai and POSCO among others), the revere is not true. There are only two major Indian Groups which have committed some investment here- Hindalco and Tata.
Novelis Inc., a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited the flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, acquired Alcan Taihan Aluminum Limited in January 2005. Novelis Inc. holds 68% of total capital investment of US$ 600 million of Novelis Korea Limited. Novelis Korea is Asia’s number one manufacturer of aluminum rolled products with state of art production facilities in Yeongju and Ulsan and employs more than 1,200 employees. Tata Motors Limited, India, also acquired the Daewoo Commercial Vehicle (DWCV), Gunsan, Korea for a total price of KRW 120 billion (approximately US$ 102 million or Rupees 4650 million) in March 2004.
In addition, an Indian Company, M/s Creative Plastic, invested US$ 2 million in ROK and set up a 100% investment company, Alchemy Mold & Plastic Ltd. in Pyeongtaek. These are the only worthwhile investments. Hope the record improves, now that the FTA has been implemented.
A related news item:

With the full backing of the Indan Embassy opened its doors yesterday, becoming the 14th organization of its kind here and joining the ranks of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea.

“Over the past three years, trade between Korea and India increased 100 percent, and last year [trade] volume reached $15 billion,” Kim Jong-shik, chairman of the Indian chamber and chief executive of Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company, said during a gathering at a hotel in central Seoul to celebrate the opening. “Around 380 Korean companies are currently promoting business in India.

And Indian companies including the Tata Group and the Aditya Birla Group are actively and successfully investing in Korea.”

The closer ties between Korean and Indian businesses stem in part from a bilateral agreement the two signed last year to break down tariff barriers. The agreement, which encourages businesses in each country to invest more freely in the other nation, took effect this year.

“Specifically, Hyundai Motor built its plant near Chennai, and many other Korean companies continue to increase their investment in India,” Finance Minister Yoon Jeung-hyun said at the gathering.

“On the other hand, India’s Tata Group was successful in entering Korea and has been producing commercial vehicles for the Korean market.”

The minister added that “despite such a rapid increase in bilateral trade and investment, there are still large opportunities for cooperation and further growth.”

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Interview: Mr.Yu In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports & Tourism

Early last year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism set three main goals ― give people hope through culture; enhance the economic vitality through cultural contents; and build future-oriented, global Korea ― and suggested 10 tasks to achieve them.  These tasks are intended to give hope and comfort, create more jobs and encourage more investments. In the long term, the goals reflect the government's intention to reinvigorate the social atmosphere. For this purpose, the ministry set aside close to 3 trillion won in creating jobs in the culture, sports and tourism sectors and building culture and arts infrastructures to enhance the local quality of life.

The ministry also promised to establish more culture and sports facilities to live up to the standards of the OECD. On the business side, the cultural contents industry is the driving force of the next generation's economic growth, and the ministry has identified this sector to create quality jobs for young jobseekers through various programs. Furthermore, the production and development of next generation fusion content such as computer graphics will be supported. Future-oriented game technology will also be supported through a global game hub center for content development and experts will be hired to help open new businesses.
All these are just some of the plans that the Ministry has announced. To listen to more of the policy actions and vision of this ministry, I interviewed Minister Yu In-chon. The following are excerpts:

The Ministry’s policy vision is to develop a Happy Korea by expanding the societal and economic values of culture through:

• Resolving imbalance between regions and social classes in the culture, sports and tourism sectors, and spreading culture-sharing programs

• Ensuring the stabilization of the people’s livelihood through developing and spreading programs on adapting to an aging and multi-cultural society as well as programs on enhancing lifestyle such as developing more cultural and sports facilities

• Increasing fundamental investment in culture and arts to establish basis to foster a creative industry, developing contents and creating a business-friendly environment in the era of convergence, and encouraging private investment and facilitating employment in the culture, sports and tourism sectors to fuel national growth

• Planning and implementing symbolic national programs to build a strong national brand and promoting strategic cultural exchanges to ensure continuity of Hallyu

The Ministry’s priority for this year is to overcome the current economic crisis by implementing economic recovery programs that include:

• Instilling hope and courage to the public through culture in order to uplift the dampened public mood caused by the economic crisis

• Expanding employment opportunities and facilitating business investment activities to revive the economy as well as expanding support for export businesses

• Preparing for a low-carbon green growth society and building a stronger national brand

Approximately 14,000 social service jobs were created through early budget execution based on review of past achievements. There are plans to create 3,000 social jobs and develop more than 200 social-purpose enterprises in the culture and arts sector.

Based on expanding investment support in the area of contents and tourism, establishing and operating the global contents center, and pursuing strategic tourism marketing, this resulted in the gaming industry posting export growth of 35% and the number of overseas tourists increased 27% to 3.26 million in 2009 H1 compared to the same period last year.

The implementation of public-wide hope campaigns and programs (e.g. ‘Bokjumeoni Bongsadan’) during the first half of the year supported approximately 470,000 people in the poor and low-income class.

In an effort to establish cultural identity and national brand, the National Brand Committee was organized (Jan. 22), the establishment of the National Modern Museum on the old defense security command site was announced (Jan. 15), and the Steering Committee on Constructing the National Museum of Korea was organized (Apr. 16) in order to record and display the history of Korea’s development.

The economic crisis and the influenza outbreak has had a negative impact on the global tourism industry but in the case of Korea, there was a sharp increase in Japanese tourist numbers based on the foreign currency effect in late 2008 and early 2009.

As of July end, the number of foreign tourists increased 14.1% to 4.4 million compared to the previous year. It is likely that this year’s target of 7.5 million will be reached.

The new government has placed focused on the importance and potential of the tourism industry and is pursuing efforts to attract more foreign tourists by ▲initiating the 2010-2012 Visit Korea Year ▲ easing regulations and improving policies to strengthen competitiveness of the tourism industry ▲ fostering high-value added tourism industries such as MICE and medical tourism ▲ developing more unique Korean-style tourism contents and ▲ improving accommodation & restaurant facilities, tourist information service and visa process. Other ongoing plans will be carried out including efforts to enhance the value of Korea’s tourism brand and improve hospitality service.

As part of the effort to realize low-carbon green growth, the Ministry is in pursuit of facilitating green tourism using Korea’s natural resources and environment, and fostering low-cost high-efficient contents industry.

In order to facilitate green growth, the Ministry is working to develop a high-value added and converged tourism industry (e.g. medical care, MICE, performances and shopping), initiate the cultural eco tour called the ‘Journey of Thousand Miles Project’ featuring various historical and cultural stories, and transform used resources like closed railroads (22 tracks nationwide, 704km) and train stops into theme-type tourism resources.

The Ministry is also working to strategically foster the contents industry by acquiring global competitiveness in core contents (e.g. game, film) and developing next-generation converged contents (e.g. u-learning, virtual world), and strengthening the self-sustaining ability of the contents industry by establishing copyright protection systems and creating an environment of fair copyright usage.

Furthermore, the Ministry’s focus lies on realizing green revolution in everyday life. For example, the bicycle festival was held to encourage the public to ride bicycles, used and closed industrial facilities such as the Gunsan harbor are being transformed into cultural space, and educational-purpose game contents on the topic of climate change are being developed to shift the public awareness.

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