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| French-American columnist Guy Sorman speaks via video call during the 2022 Culture Communication Forum (CCF) held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in central Seoul, Aug. 25. Courtesy of CICI |
CICI organizes forum under theme of 'Space and Culture Communication'
By Dong Sun-hwa
Guy Sorman, a world-renowned scholar and intellectual in economics and philosophy, said it was a positive decision for Korea to relocate the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul to the defense ministry compound in Seoul's Yongsan District.
The French-American columnist, who was an adviser to then-President Lee Myung-bak in 2010, made the remark during the 2022 Culture Communication Forum (CCF), which took place at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in central Seoul, Aug. 25. The Corea Image Communication Institute organized the forum under the theme of "Space and Culture Communication," inviting experts from around the world to analyze different spaces in Korea and explore the meaning of space in the time of COVID-19.
"In most democratic countries, the presidential office is located at the heart of the capital like London and Berlin," Sorman explained. "Considering this context, the relocation to Yongsan is not just about architecture. It has a link to world history, too."
President Yoon Suk-yeol relocated his office to Yongsan in May in line with his inauguration, claiming it signaled an end to "imperial presidency" at Cheong Wa Dae, which had been the site of the presidential office for more than seven decades.
Sorman also spoke highly of Cheonggye Stream ― an 11-kilometer-long public recreation space in downtown Seoul ― and Seoul City Hall that was newly built in 2012.
"Cheonggyecheon (Cheonggye Stream) is a great example of restoring nature to provide a resting place for Seoul citizens, and Seoul City Hall is a uniquely designed building that gives a snapshot of Korea's democracy through its transparency," he said. "But in the case of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in central Seoul, it does not show the country's tradition or identity."
The 2022 CCF was also joined by French architect Jean-Louis Cohen, a professor of architecture history at the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University; Korean architect Yoo Hyun-joon, a professor of architecture at Hongik University who authored a series of best-selling books such as "Future of Space" (2021); Designhouse CEO Lee Young-hye; and New Zealand Ambassador to Korea Philip Turner.
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| French architect Jean-Louis Cohen talks with CICI President Choi Jung-wha via video call during the 2022 Culture Communication Forum (CCF) held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in central Seoul, Aug. 25. Courtesy of CICI |
"Space facilitates interaction and communication among people, allowing them to learn about diversity," Cohen said. "Space has evolved in various forms over the past few years and the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically transformed it ... Many predicted that offline space would vanish due to the virus epidemic, but we are actually witnessing its return. For instance, French arts festival 'Avignon Festival' and the 'Morozov Collection' exhibition are having more visitors than ever these days, and the countries in North America and Europe are seeing a surge in the number of tourists. All these facts show the significance of offline space and reflect people's desire for cultural life and communication."
Yoo echoed this sentiment, saying the importance of offline space has increased over time.
"Anyone can take photos and express themselves on their social media accounts today, but this fact has caused social fragmentation," he said. "So the significance of offline space has grown over the time as it is challenging to unite people online."
Lee underscored that there should be more cultural spaces that are accessible to anyone at any time, while Turner compared how people in New Zealand and Korea are utilizing their spaces.
"It seems people in New Zealand, where population density is low and domestic space is relatively large, do most of their activities at home," Turner said. "In contrast, Koreans seem to prefer communicating and working outside … I wonder what changes the metaverse would bring in the days ahead, as it does not limit the number of people in a particular space."
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