Considering that the vast majority of the pollution is coming from China I doubt banning cars will make much of difference while highly inconveniencing the public:
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon announces policies to reduce fine dust at a news conference at Seoul City Hall on Sunday. [YONHAP]Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said Sunday that his government would seek the power to ban vehicles based on license plate number during days with bad air pollution to reduce the number of cars running on city roads.The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to request an amendment to the enforcement ordinance of the Clean Air Conservation Act that will allow city mayors and provincial governors to issue a directive that bans cars with even- or odd-numbered license plate numbers from operating on certain days with bad pollution.
The request will be sent to the Ministry of Environment, which has the authority to amend the enforcement ordinance.
“The ban will, in effect, be carried out by the local governments of Seoul and surrounding areas,” said Lee Byung-chul, head of the Seoul government’s air quality policy team. “It cannot be carried out by Seoul alone. We have yet to determine the exact system of how we would enforce the ban, such as having checkpoints to stop odd- or even-numbered license plates from entering the capital area, or whether to utilize police and CCTV cameras to enforce the ban.” [Joong Ang Ilbo]
A group of civic activists in front of the foreign ministry in Seoul on Dec. 27, 2017, calls for the scrapping of an agreement made between the South Korean and Japanese governments in 2015 over issues surrounding the Japanese military’s sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II. Earlier in the day, a foreign ministry task force announced the outcomes of its five-month review, concluding that the accord lacked efforts to listen to victims, euphemistically called “comfort women,” before reaching the deal. (Yonhap)
South Korean Speaker Chung Sye-kyun (R) poses with visiting Filipino boxer and Senator Manny Pacquiao at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 22, 2016. (Yonhap)
A group of Islamic residents and South Korean activists holds a news conference condemning U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul on Dec. 12, 2017. (Yonhap)
The poster does seem to suggest the model is taking her hanbok off which considering all the sexual harassment cases going on in America, it is probably not a good way to promote your city:
The promotional posters that were going to be used in busy parts of New York. The image shows, from left, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Square and Dongdaemun Design Plaza. / Courtesy of Seoul City
Seoul City has dropped promotional posters after they drew criticism for sexually objectifying women.
The posters were going to be exhibited in New York City’s Times Square and SoHo, among other areas, including 150 bus stations, from Dec.18 to Jan 14.
“I thought she was undressing,” said Alex Costilhes, an engineer graduate who lives in New York.“The tagline doesn’t help either.The tagline, with the woman pulling on her dress, gives it a sexual connotation.It could be fixed easily with her just not tugging on that ribbon.”
New York resident Paula Martinez said it had not crossed her mind at first that it was a sexualized image.But “the directorial choice to have the model pulling on the ribbon is kind of weird,” she said.“I can definitely see how it might play into the Western fetishization of East Asian women.Like, that being used to draw white men to come to Korea for tourism.I feel like it’s not that overt, though.” [Korea Times]
According to this article in the Korea Times the closure of the Seoul Pub signals the death of the old Itaewon:
Master Jung pours beers at Seoul Pub in Itaewon during the 2002 Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup. / Courtesy of John Redmond
Seoul’s most popular and famous expat hangout, Seoul Pub, is set to close its doors for the last time in over two decades, Sunday.
Centrally located in Itaewon, across the road from the Hamilton Hotel, Seoul Pub was for years Seoul’s most popular bar, blending a patronage of English teachers, U.S.military personnel and businessmen, offering affordable beer, pool and entertainment from the manager, Master Jung.
It essentially paved the way for more European-style pubs, thanks to former manager Gunther Kampf, who went on to open the original 3 Alley Pub.Its low-key, no-frills atmosphere became a magnet for foreigners tired of the cowboy bars catering to a U.S.military clientele.
First opened in 1996, the popular premises saw its popularity peak during the 2002 Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup, as did many now defunct international bars. (……..)
The closure of Seoul Pub signals the death of old Itaewon. [Korea Times]
You can read the rest at the link, but I like the new Itaewon better then the old Itaewon even if it means older establishments like Seoul Pub are forced to close due to the increased competition.
This photo, taken on Nov. 23, 2017, shows a barbed wire fence, which was inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, relocated to Gwanghwaun Plaza in Seoul. The fence will be set up at the venue of the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics after people attach ribbons carrying their wishes for peace to it. (Yonhap)
