Urban Gardening

A Picture of Korea

Outside my friend's apartment, a building was torn down. I guess we can assume that some time soon there will be a new development. However, as soon as the wreckers left, the local housewives and grandmothers descended on the lot and divided it up into small parcels using the rubble that was strewn over the ground. They then planted crops.

I guess this is not too surprising when you consider that Korea was a nation of farmers only a generation ago. This is opportunistic use of land, and when the owner decides to build another building, it will all be bulldozed away. But knowing Korea, that may be next week, but it's equally as likely to take five years.

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