(EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Dec. 23) - Super-tall projects

To stave off an economic crisis, the business-friendly government would do
anything that could generate investment and rev up industries. Yet, the idea of
changing the layout of a military airfield close to the capital city to allow for
the construction of a super skyscraper is undesirable.
Military authorities have stepped back from their hitherto strong opposition to
the Lotte Group`s project to build the "2nd Lotte World" in Jamsil near K-16 Air
Force Base. News reports quoted a top Defense Ministry official as saying that
decision was "up to the Prime Minister's Office."
In July 2007, the Administrative Coordination Committee under the prime minister
had decided to withhold licensing the project. The Defense Ministry asserted that
a super tall building of over 100 stories could impede flights to and from the
Air Force facility about 5 kilometers to the south in Seongnam, bordering Seoul.
The airfield is often used for presidential trips and visits by foreign heads of
government.
The defense authorities' flexible stance indicates that government offices have
reached an understanding about issuing an approval for the 2nd Lotte World. It is
not hard to detect the influence of the current administration's pro-business
policies and its intent to revitalize the ailing construction industry with a
mammoth project worth about 1.5 trillion won (US$1.15 billion).
President Lee Myung-bak has favored the 2nd Lotte World project and suggested
that he and foreign VIPs use the domestic Gimpo Airport, which had long been
Korea's main international gateway, instead of K-16. His repeated emphasis on
removing administrative regulations on business plans could have affected the
thinking of officials concerned with this particular project.
The Air Force insisted that only buildings of up to 203 meters in height may be
allowed at the Jamsil location so as not to hamper takeoff and landing of
aircraft at the airfield. An alternative, it suggested, was to change the
direction of the runway by about 10 degrees to make flight paths to and from the
airfield undisturbed by the planned building, on condition that the Lotte Group
pay the 100 billion won needed to refurbish the airfield.
The conglomerate had initially refused to bear the cost. But the seemingly
consenting position of the military authorities implies that Lotte changed its
mind. However, the redrawing of the runway raises another serious problem - the
new restrictions to be imposed on construction activities along the new flight
path. Seongnam, as a satellite city of Seoul, already has many high-rises, and
demands for urban redevelopment projects are growing in the densely populated
city.
In the first place, we question the desirability of the super skyscraper projects
of the Lotte Group, and of the other projects planned by other firms in different
parts of Seoul such as the Yongsan and Sangam areas. Seoul is endowed with a wide
river and beautiful hills and mountains in and around the city. Unlike flat
cities, Seoul does not need any manmade landmarks. Overly tall buildings will
merely turn into ungracious eyesores and sources of huge traffic problems.
Belatedly joining the basically Third World competition of building high-rise
structures is not reassuring, especially at this time of global economic
uncertainty. More careful consideration is in order for President Lee and the
other officials concerned.
(END)