The neoliberalization of Korea and invisible labor
Courtesy of Ciaran O Brien
Incheon International Airport has received a lot of praise since it was established as the country’s major transit hub. And despite the relative absence of bars and decent food places open at reasonable hours, many have long admired the efficiency of this airport. Old people take the subway there to sit inside somewhere warm or cold as the seasons dictate. Hallyu fans arrive in their droves, ready to spend a fortune at Olive Young and beyond. But recent changes have left me questioning how much of the comfort and service the airport once had is now being sacrificed in the name of efficiency and profit maximization.
A few days ago, I found myself once more at a self-check-in kiosk, attempting to keep an eye on my two kids while, at the same time, checking-in my luggage. I looked around and noticed similarly middle-aged people struggling with the computers and the automated process. Gone were the days of friendly attendants, smiles for the children and jokes about the quality of the passport photos. Now, I stood in front of a machine that demanded I check in my own bags, scan the labels, and confirm my flight details. It’s one thing to order a coffee or a kimbap from a machine. It’s something else entirely to get four people on an international flight. And the most annoying thing? I had to pay for the "privilege" of this self-service. A service that seems to be getting increasingly........
© The Korea Times
