Seoul's Poor Replaced by Luxury, Not Solutions
The Korea Times reports on Babfor, a Seoul soup kitchen serving 1,000 daily, facing demolition due to gentrification in Cheongnyangni. This 'tension' (their word) happens while Korea leads developed nations in elderly poverty, with 40% of seniors in relative poverty. The district's move to block demolition has given a 'temporary reprieve' to the lifeline. One wonders how many 'temporary reprieves'
precede outright abandonment. This isn't a unique dilemma; it's the global blueprint. Cities worldwide, from Seoul to San Francisco, 'redevelop' by displacing the vulnerable, replacing essential services with luxury high-rises. The message is clear: profits over people, always. The 'social safety net' isn't fraying; it's being systematically dismantled to make way for 'progress' — progress for
whom, exactly?