Interesting Article about Seoulites

I’m going to try to avoid articles from the Korea Times but this one caught my eye.  I somehow cringe at the picture they painted of the ‘average Seoulite’ as it’s someone I don’t want to become.  Granted I’m much younger, make more money, and drive to work but I’m still hoping that 30 will be the new 20.

It’s crazy how the prices of certain things have jumped but compared to back home, it’s relatively cheaper living here.

What’s a Seoulite Like?

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff Reporter In Seoul, a city with a population of 10.4 million, the average resident is a 37.6-year-old married office worker with a bachelor’s degree and works 46.4 hours per week, according to a survey by Seoul City Hall and Statistics Korea released on Monday. They take the subway to work and earn 3.6 million won as their monthly wage and spend 2.8 million won per month with 610,000 won covering food and 580,000 won going to private education. Six out of 10 households earn between 2 million and 4 million won monthly, which makes them the so-called middle class. The number of Seoul residents in their 20s or under is on the decline while the population of the older generation is increasing. Every day there are 264 births, 106 deaths and 197 marriages. In 2009, 91,000 babies were born in Seoul, around a 3,700 decrease from the previous year. There are 26,000 foreigners registered in Seoul, a five-fold jump from 10 years ago. Each household is composed of 2.48 members on average and the number of single-person households takes up a 35 percent share, a 66-percent increase from 1999. More than 42 percent of Seoul’s housing consists of apartments, while houses only account for 7 percent. The rest are multi-household houses. About 47 percent of households are in debt, with the biggest portion being mortgage loans. The subway is the most popular means of public transportation in Seoul with 7.2 million users a day, while buses have 4.6 million passengers. The city estimates that the opening of Seoul Subway Line No. 9, the latest linking Gimpo International Airport with Gangnam, and high gas prices, together with traffic congestion, force many citizens to turn to public transport. The number of vehicles registered in Seoul stands at 2.9 million, with around a 3 percent yearly increase every year for the last decade. An average of 249 people obtain a driver’s license daily. The average household has 1.12 computers and 2.6 cell phones, and spends 145,000 won on communication costs per month. Over the years, Seoul has become much more expensive to live in. For instance, university tuition soared 121 times from 33,000 won per semester in 1970 to about 4 million won now. Bus fares have jumped 25-fold from 40 won in 1977 to 1,000 won today, and subway fares have gone up from 30 won in 1974 to 1,000 won as of now. Seoul boasts of one of the world’s most convenient subway networks. Soju, one of the most favored liquor in Korea, cost 120 won per bottle in 1975, but is currently priced at 1,200 won. meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr

Expats invited to suggest regulatory reform

Finally willing to listen to foreigner gripes but we’ll have to wait if this will result in anything.  At least it’s a small step in the right direction.  Having an F-series visa as opposed to an E-2 visa does make a world of difference however, there are some things that are just impossible or very difficult to do regardless.  I remember walking into a bank wanting to make a check card (basically a debit card) and was told that even though I have an F-4 visa, they can’t/won’t issue it to me because I’m a foreigner.  BULLSHIT!  I have 5 Korean credit cards with limits of 5 to 10 million KRW and you’re telling me that I can’t have a simple debit card?

I know for E-2 holders it’s much worse though.  Too many hoops to jump through with getting a regular contract phone, credit cards, signing up to websites, online shopping, etc, etc.

Let’s give them one year to see what changes will be made.  I hope everyone emails them at least a few suggestions.  I know that they’re giving away gift certificates for ‘bright ideas’ but if they are bombarded with the same complaints, maybe they’ll actually do something about them.

The Prime Minister’s Office receives suggestions on how to improve regulations that are discriminatory or troublesome for foreign residents or overseas Koreans.

Rules that cause inconvenience in immigration, personal identification, status change, economic activities or daily lives of non-Koreans, foreign spouses of Koreans or overseas Koreans could be examples. Ideas on regulations or systems deemed as discriminatory against foreign nationals are also welcome.

Please e-mail your proposals to sangsan@pmo.go.kr or fax them to (02) 2100-2323 by the end of March. Outstanding ideas will be rewarded with gift certificates.

The Prime Minister’s Office will also collect suggestions from foreign chambers of commerce in Korea as well as metropolitan and provincial governments, and formulate deregulation or revision plans in May after coordination with related government branches.