Deadline nears to register for next town hall meeting

The registration deadline for this year`s Seoul Town Meeting is approaching. The annual meeting will be held on Friday, Dec. 11, but the deadline for signing up is Nov. 27.

Originally planned for Nov. 11, the meeting was postponed until December to provide maximum opportunity for non-Koreans and public officials to participate.

The Seoul Town meetings, which started in 2000, give expats living in Seoul an opportunity to voice their opinions and questions about topics regarding life in Seoul directly to city officials. The forums began as a way for government officials to hear from international residents about concerns on various topics, including education, healthcare, visa legislation, etc. and it has been reflected in the creation of municipal policies and initiative to support international residents. This year`s Seoul Town Meeting topics will focus on the current housing situation and leisure facilities.

In the past, Seoul Town meetings have drawn upward of 150 participants. International residents who have participated in the past stated that the event gave them a chance to be "active and productive members of the Seoul community."

The mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-Hoon, and other senior officials from the respective government branches will be in attendance. Mayor Oh will give the welcoming remarks and and Mr. Alan Timblick, Director of the Seoul Global Center, will give a Town Meeting progress report to brief participants on the current status of projects that have stemmed from past meetings.

Presentations on housing and leisure will be given by both a specialist in the field and a foreign representative. A Q&A session will follow each presentation. In addition, an update on current Seoul policies and a free discussion for inquiries about issues other than the main topics are included in the agenda.

The official program will finish at 12 p.m. but will be followed by an optional Seoul Cultural Experience program, which is free to all participants. The Seoul Cultural Experience program will include Hansik dining in Insadong, tours of Gyeongbokgung and the National Folk Museum, and a free matinee viewing of "Jump," a popular non-verbal martial arts comedy show.

For those who plan to participate in the Seoul Cultural Experience portion of the program, all activities will conclude by 5:30 p.m.

Foreign residents who are interested in participating in this year`s Seoul Town Meeting should register by filling out an application form. To receive an application form, please e-mail Jang Youhwa at yhjang@sba.seoul.kr or call (02) 2075-4116. The prog

ram will be held at Seoul City Hall Seosomun Annex, which is accessible by City Hall Station (Line 1, Exit 1 or Line 2, exit 11 or 12).

(shannon.sgc@gmail.com)



By Shannon Heit