Our
Opinion on Housing
Environment
Improvement
Program and
Forced Demolition
in Yongdoo-dong,
Dejeon City,
S.Korea
The
press reported
the scene of
frenzy in which
a group of men
mobilized by
the Joong Ward
Office("Office")
& the Korea
Housing Corporation("KHC")
committed violence
toward the residents
in the 1st district
of Yongdoo-dong
and destroyed
their tents
in March 21,
and July 18.
It seemed as
a battlefield,
however, the
police looked
on at it without
any action.
Housing
Environment
Improvement
Program("Program")
was started
with a perfunctory
briefing session
and deceitful
acts of consent
acquisition
from the residents
in 1994. This
program is originally
a kind of public
program, and
should have
a strong support
from the central
and the municipal
government to
create the comfortable
housing environment
by reforming
old and indecent
houses and expanding
the infrastructure
such as roads,
sewer system
in the neighborhoods
according to
the related
acts. Besides,
it can only
be performed
on the basis
of an approval
to a certain
degree from
the residents
in advance.
The
Office, however,
deceived the
residents with
guaranteeing
the improvement
of their housings
and moving into
new apartments,
not giving any
particulars
on this program
with the intention
of maximizing
profits. Moreover,
the Office promised
no damage or
loss to residents
during this
program. What's
worse, it obtained
the sealed documents
from the residents
by pretending
to conduct baseline
surveys. As
the residents
simply understood
these surveys
only were used
for administrative
purpose, they
handed out their
documents without
reserve. Concealing
this fact, the
Office manipulated
the data as
if 73.6% of
them agreed
on it, which
was on the basis
of an approval
for this program
from the Ministry
of Construction
& Transportation
in 1995.
In
November 1997,
the Office expanded
the program
into entirely
communal housing
from partial
improvement
with partially
communal housing
program. It
didn't explain
the progress
to the residents,
and displayed
the plan to
the public for
a short period.
In other
words, a right
to know was
totally neglected
and the program
went bad to
maximize the
gains of the
Office.
Moreover,
the process
estimating the
value for real
estates was
not fair, because
the evaluation
agency was assigned
by a few non-representative
residents behind
close doors.
Reportedly some
privileged persons
might receive
a preference.
Since
the Office stocked
the lands with
the price of
appraised value,
a right to dwell
in the neighborhoods
could not be
guaranteed.
It violated
the right to
own property
and settlement,
and made the
residents driven
out of their
hometown, which
is quite far
from the original
aim of this
program.
In
March 2001,
230 remaining
residents set
up an organization,
"Yongdoo
1st district
residential
committee for
housing environment
improvement",
and started
a fierce struggle.
During the last
eighteen months,
many of them
yielded due
to various of
severe threats
and constraints
such as forced
demolition,
while those
who had no alternatives
or tried to
defend the right
continued to
fight. And then,
the Office exercised
a forced demolition
saying that
73.6% of the
residents agreed
on its plan.
During
the forced demolition,
committed by
the 300 blackguards,
residents were
threatened and
assaulted in
detained, and
several members
of civil association
who protested
against such
illegal action
were even taken
to the police
to be kept for
five hours.
Many
people were
furious and
protested against
the police for
neglecting of
duty after reporting
this case. Although
the Office &
KHC still explained
fictitiously
in spite of
a reprimand
from Chungnam
Police Bureau.
This
forced demolition
is obviously
an illegal action
by governmental
authority.
Firstly,
most laws applied
to this case
were established
during the period
of Japanese
imperialism
and military
dictatorship,
when leaders
didn't consider
a just right.
They also have
been criticised
due to a violation
of constitution.
Even if
it's relevant
de jure, it's
clearly unreasonable
de facto.
Secondly,
although the
Office &
KHC emphasize
the 76.3% consent
from residents,
it is misleading.
Because they
didn't explain
the program
to residents
sufficiently,
and even told
a lie as if
all residents
could continue
to live there.
Furthermore,
they collected
the sealed documents
by disguising
a simple survey.
These behaviors
are very severe
fraud that could
not be committed
by governmental
authority.
Thirdly,
housing environment
improvement
programs, displaying
the public program,
differs from
redevelopment
program in that
it should guarantee
a priority of
right to dwell
for original
residents, Therefore
it is improper
to expropriate
the lands by
the same way
of other redevelopment
programs.
Fourthly,
whatever land
expropriation
and demolition
night be legal,
it should be
exercised by
an acceptable
manner. Violent
demolition &
insults by gangsters
cannot happen
in a democratic
nation.
In
Daejon, about
twenty program
s are going
on to settle
the problem
of disproportionate
development
among new and
old towns. They
were intended
to enhance quality
of life of residents.
However, in
pursuing excessive
profits, KHC
& the municipal
government have
been making
the residents
suffer and depriving
them of the
right to live.
We're concerned
if the matters
in Yongdoo-dong
would replicate
in another districts.
Now,
we declare that
the Yongdoo
1st district
program is invalid.
The Office &
KHC must stop
the program
immediately,
listen to the
various opinions
from the community,
obtain the consents
by legal way,
and devise strategy
to realize the
original aim
and secure property
& settlement
rights. After
that, the program
could be restarted.
We
call for the
followings to
all the responsible
institutions
regarding this
case.
-
The Government
& the Democratic
Party should
manage this
problem not
in terms of
law or routines,
but from new
perspective,
quality
of life .
-
Daejon City
Government,
Joong Ward Office,
KHC should recognize
illegality of
their acts,
and apologize
for it.
-
The program
should be restarted
by legal, and
reasonable ways.
-
The Officers
& the charges
of the Office
and KHC who
operated violent
demolition should
be punished
by law.
-
The National
Assembly should
immediately
revise the anachronistic
laws which can
violate the
basic
right &
make nation
suffer.
August
2002
Daejon
Collaborative
Committee against
forced demolition
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