[Editorial] `Tyranny` of Seoul City

The impudence of Seoul city is surprising.

Seoul city rented land and facilities freely from private company in order to use as asylum for homeless people.

However, Seoul city is still occupying the land nearly after two years without owner`s permission even if the contract term has expired.

The company that lent land is likely to be infringed the right of property by doing a good job.

I wonder who would do such a thing from now on.

The contract terms that Banglim Co. Ltd, which is a fabric company, provided 2,000 pyeong in Munlaedong Young deungpo-gu to Seoul city freely was from January 1999 to June 2000.

However, Seoul city is occupying the land till now for which the contract term has expired 20 months before.

Seoul city makes an excuse, saying, “ currently 700 homeless people are accommodated in this facility and it is difficult to build up such facility at any other place right now”,

however, this is nothing but admitting that city authorization didn`t prepare any treatment so far.

Banglim side said that they were ignored whenever they requested rendition by sending document five times.

More absurd thing is the behavior of Seoul city when Banglim decided to sell this land to one construction company and requested rendition again in early March.

Seoul city said that they are promoting city plan, which changes the purpose of the land as `social welfare facility`, on which residence and commercial facility can`t be built, however, the land was available to build up houses like apartment till March last.

Seoul city side said that they will negotiate with the owner to buy the land when this bill is approved, however it is premise on obligated expropriation law in case of not completing the negotiation.

Therefore, it is likely to violate the right of private property.

Although Seoul city, which doesn`t keep contract with the private, stresses to abide by law, it is hard to find dignity.

This issue is one example to show anachronistic administrative opportunism of Seoul city.

Above all else, if good –will of private enterprise is misused like this; `administration with people` would become futile sound.