Yongsan, Pig Poop and Apartments

Abstract

South Korea experienced rapid change and development before and after WWII. As cities grow bigger, ‘smelly facilities’ which were initially located in suburban areas, had to move away from cities, one after another. This research follows two facilities: Yongsan machine factories, and pig farms typically run by Hansen’s disease patients. Industrial Yongsan appeared around the 1910s during the Japanese occupation until the factory relocation plan started in the 1970s under the regime of President Park Chung-hee. From a suburban area, Yongsan became the center of Seoul. It shows that neighbors are qualified and welcome to stay in the city by its factory relocation plan. Small cities also grew bigger and so-called ‘Innovation Cities’ were built in 10 different areas of South Korea. From early 2010, newly located innovation cities confronted the ‘smelly pig farm’ right in front of them and the conflict began between residents. This article argues what mobility justice challenges when citizens want to choose their ‘right’ neighbors and follows who makes the decision of one’s mobility.