Korean University Towns See Dramatic Loss of Small Businesses
This same phenomenon is devastating many businesses in university town’s in the United States as well:
![A street near Hannam University in Daejeon on March 3. [SHIN JIN-HO]](https://i0.wp.com/koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2021/03/07/c6421f86-8b3d-4345-a80b-fbda54fac17d.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
The streets near the campus of Hannam University in Daejeon used to be packed with students at this time of year.
Joong Ang Ilbo
Now only advertisements plastered on the windows of empty stores greet visitors.
“Many of us in the area are going out of business, as most university classes are being held online in the pandemic and students are not returning to the campus,” one store owner in the neighborhood told the JoongAng Ilbo on Wednesday. “I’m afraid that at this rate, half of the stores in the area will go out of business in the next couple of years.”
You can read more at the link.
“Adapt or die,” as they say. I feel for these businesses, but in these unstable times, they need to be nimble and clever.
Half? I anticipate the government wants all of them out of business.
“Adapt or die” is clever advice in a lot of situations.
But in some situations, adaptation is impractical or impossible.
…no matter how good of buggy whip your factory makes… blah blah blah.
In this case, there is simply no adaptation that can be done to bring the number of customers to the neighborhood necessary to stay in business.
And it is not possible to leave, as there are tens, if not hundreds, of millions of won left on the lease plus moving costs.
The arbitrary government restrictions on staying open after 9 or 10pm is a further condition nearly impossible to adapt to.
The globalist/corporatist national government is doing its best to kill small businesses with restrictions and fear.
So who is this “globalist/corporatist national government”? Who are they, who are they made of, and what is their end goal? I’m just dying to be amused.
Beijing boy, if you can’t be bothered to read Orwell’s “Animal Farm” or even watch the cartoon on YouTube, try to pipe down when the adults are conversing.
And if you have read or watched that short story and still don’t understand, reread or rewatch it and recognize yourself as one of the silly geese.
On this side of the pond.
One of our sons is attending this university (not this semester though, he is awaiting a saner time).
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/huge-cu-boulder-student-party-turns-violent-police/ar-BB1ekWab
In fall, they forced all students into house arrest in their dorm rooms. That wasn’t enough…since some seemed to be sneaking out they made legislation to force quarantine for any kids between ages 18 and 22 to go to any store. That’s when our son came home. There is no university more leftist than Boulder. And even they are (obviously) tired of all this.
Just to add: Quarantine for ages 18-22 in any store, any business in Boulder whatsoever. Admit a college age looking student and face the consequences. For whatever reason.
@Korean Man That particular poster is using the usual code worms in a pathetic attempt to disguise his prejudices. Odd, given that he often has no problems with posting his prejudices undisguised, nor with making false accusations.
The problem with code worms are there are too many dashes and not enough dots.
Anyway… who are the corporatists and the globalists?
Well, the corporatists are the ones who favor large corporations over small business and strive to insure permits, fees, regulations, directives, bailouts, incentives, and tax structures favor big business over the little guys.
Through methods such as book deals, speaking fees, opportunities for relatives, and post-career make-jobs, the corporatists buy off the politicians to insure the legislation their lobbiests write is what gets passed. Their excellent marketing skills insure bad policy seems good and their advertising budget insures media agrees.
Many corporatists, no matter how much they talk of corporate responsibility or equitable capitalism, are also economic globalists, as the globalized arbitrage of markets, labor, and tax law is very profitable when you can take advantage of it but potential up-and-coming competitors cannot.
And then there are the ideological globalists who wish for open borders and a one world government. Some of them may actually believe that would end hunger, war, and inequality. But many of them actually know that is an excellent system of control and a shortcut to power… with them in the class of ruling elites living off the labor of the masses who are scolded, manipulated, economically led, and occasionally forced into compliance.
Whatever the case, neither the crony capitalist corporatiats nor the control-seeking globalists have the best interests of the common man in mind.
@Liz, they don’t call it the People’s Republic of Boulder for nothing. I am sure Emperor Xi can take tips from the people that run that city.
The saddest thing about Boulder is that the inmates are willfully imprisoned in their dystopian fantasy.
It was actually a very nice place, if a bit lefty like most college towns, 20 years ago..
True, GI (and Setnaffa).
It is a beautiful campus and has a very good engineering program though.
Our boy was very excited to go.
But then he was locked up in a dorm room 24/7 with a commie.
I don’t think his roomie had ever met a military kid before, or any Trump supporter.
It was a learning experience for both of them. 😆
Best wishes for your son, Liz!! We know he was raised right.
Thanks Setnaffa. ❤️