The Plight of Semi-basement Residents: South Korea

Asia Insight – Season 11

In August 2022, torrential rains damaged homes across South Korea, with those living in semi-basement homes hit especially hard. In response, the Seoul government announced that to preserve safety, semi-basements would be eliminated, but they have yet to provide any effective alternatives. Additionally, low-income residents of the city find themselves unable to move due to rising rent. In this episode, we follow the plight of Seoul's semi-basement residents.