[The Editors' Verdict] The Paradox of the Semi-Basement

A Tragedy in the Floods: Three Women Lose Their Lives
Beyond Patchwork Solutions:
Understanding Why Leaving the Semi-Basement Is Not So Simple

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Security bars connecting the semi-basement to the outside world. Exposed to the outside, that place threatens the peace of the household. What if someone secretly peeks inside? What if they break it open and intrude into the home? It is the main cause of worry and anxiety. That is why the security bars are carefully inspected. The bolts are tightened. Even more securely.

Sturdy security bars prevent external intrusion. But they also make escape from inside difficult. Still, can security bars be managed carelessly? The ‘paradox of the semi-basement’ is our reality.

In that moldy place, our neighbors lie down every day to soothe their tired bodies. They are exposed to everyday dangers. Misfortune that stands at the crossroads of life and death lingers near them. So close that it would not be surprising if it struck at any moment...

On the night of the 8th, in a semi-basement of a villa in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, there were three women. Two sisters in their 40s and a teenage girl. One of them has an intellectual disability. Torrential rain pouring down like it was tearing the sky flooded from the first floor down the basement stairs toward the entrance. Due to the heavy water pressure, they could not open the front door from inside to get out. The only remaining escape route was the security bars.

The three women did their utmost to survive. But they could not break through the security bars. Residents tried to help, but it was beyond their ability to tear off the bars from outside. That night, when they could only stomp their feet and scream, was a nightmare for everyone.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Leaving behind the horrific memories of August, September begins. We are once again falling into the swamp of oblivion. Even if the space contaminated with murky muddy water is cleaned up, the time of screams cannot be hidden.

What has changed since that day? As public interest intensified, only simplistic solutions emerged. They say they will eliminate semi-basement living spaces. The reason people seek semi-basements is not just about cost.

There is another reason for living in semi-basements near subway stations and bus stops. The working hours of the working class start early. Convenient public transportation in station areas is important to get to work from dawn. Semi-basements offer 2 to 3 rooms suitable for families with children. And the housing cost is affordable. For the working class, semi-basements may be almost the only option.

Where can they go if they leave the semi-basement? If improved housing conditions and affordable urban housing are not sufficiently supplied, solving the problem is far off. Allocating rental housing mainly to semi-basement residents with the idea of just putting out the urgent fire requires caution.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

There is also the issue of fairness with residents of goshiwon (small dormitory rooms) and jjokbang (tiny rooms), and it may provoke backlash from the younger generation living in one-room apartments over fairness of opportunity.

We understand that living in a moldy space is difficult, but the first step is to understand why they cannot easily leave the semi-basement. The essence of the problem ultimately touches on the shadow of polarization.

This was an incident where three women experienced extreme terror and lost their lives. To comfort their souls, we must focus on the essence rather than applying patchwork solutions. Isn’t that the minimum respect we can show in approaching the ‘paradox of the semi-basement’?