On Wednesday, January 13th, GWIKS hosted their first Soh Jaipil Lecture Series webinar of 2021, joined by Guest Speaker Yewon Andrea Lee to discuss the socioeconomic politics behind tenant shopkeeper protests in Seoul. In sharing her research, Dr. Lee aims to bring awareness to the ongoing political movement characterized by the dilemma between tenant shopkeepers and property owners over the disproportionate value of the working-class over the real estate investors. This is a divide that paints the picture of gentrification that is happening in Seoul against the benefits brought upon by these small shopkeepers in the form of culture, diversity, and inclusivity for the sake of capitalistic greed.
Utilizing archival research and engaging in interviews through collaboration with “People who Want to Run a Commerical Business with Peace of Mind” or Mam-Sang-Mo, Dr. Lee describes some of her findings in her efforts to bring attention to this exclusive practice. These finds are divided into three categories: (1) Sweat Equity Expropriation, (2) Occupying Living Spaces, (3) Solidarity with the City’s Social Movement Actors.
Sweat Equity Expropriation
The confrontation that is happening between the tenant shopkeepers and the property owners has been characterized as “Sweat Equity Expropriation.” One fourth (1/4) of South Korea’s working class made up of self-employed workers, and of that fraction, individuals generally make 60% of what the average income a wage working in Korea would make, is generally comprised of the low skilled and low educated population of South Korea, as well as those who go beyond retirement to keep working because they require the funds. These individuals are tenants within the property complexes and are establishing shops within neighborhoods in Seoul that are increasing the property value and prosperity of these neighborhoods due to the culture, inclusivity, popularity, and business they bring to the area. Property owners are exploiting these benefits to expand rent within the land that they own and are choosing to buy out and evict these businesses within the space that has become popular thanks to the presence of these tenant shops, to the protest of the shopkeepers who are the contributors to these expansions yet cannot afford pay the rent hikes that come out of this expansion scenario.
Many Tenant Shopkeepers have demanded policy changes in the form of stricter commercial rent control, as well as demanding the right to have secured compensation for their contributions to the property they were residents of before they are evicted, as rightful contributors to the increase of property value to these areas. This dilemma has manifested into politics and protests taking form in the process of Occupying livelihood spaces.
Occupying Livelihood Spaces
In an effort to have their concerns and voices heard in response to their forced and coerced evictions, many of the Tenant Shopkeepers have occupied their shops and physically resist the property owners in an effort to gain power against them and bring awareness to their struggles. It is through the violent confrontation that the emotions and the issue at hand become one that many people can empathize with as these force evictions are erasing the time and labor these individuals have put into their shops for the greed of the property owners looking to further advance their real estate. What policy measures that have taken shape thus far has primarily focused on settling the grievances of the Tenant Shopkeepers and not directly tackling the issue of the Property owners themselves who are pushing them out. As the issue has gained increasing amounts of attention and awareness, Tenant Shopkeepers have become to work in Solidarity with Seoul’s Social Movement Actors.
Solidarity with the City’s Social Movement Actors
Seoul, being a big city, is home to a large network of progressive social movements and activists that have connected with organizations like Mam-Sang-Mo to help the Tenant Shopkeepers in a unique opportunity that has further exposed their dilemma to the wider public. Many of these Shopkeepers, given their backgrounds, come from an older generation and have not entirely been exposed to the positive aspects of progressive movements compared to the younger generation. Recognizing the message behind the Sweat Equity Expropriation and imploying occupying tactics that provide a venue for these actors to participate in the protests against evictions. In forming this unity and working together in protest of their eviction, they form a new foundation of support and solidarity that keeps their fight going and gives them a voice, protection, and opportunity to gain the rights they deserve against the Property owners.
The solidary created in this movement has further honed and expressed the messaging behind this struggle in addition to creating a collective identity of the Tenant Shopkeepers. Tenant shopkeepers are seeing themselves as part of the working class that is emerging through this movement, and in working with the social movement actors they are changing and growing into a larger, positive force that can bring change to these gentrifying communities.
