(Small businesses) This time the signboard rules will be enforced...

Rules concerning signboards in the so-called new towns to be constructed will be made more rigid and also enforced according to the new plans in the Ministry of Construction and Transportation (Chosun Ilbo). The disorderly signboards ruin the city aesthetics and are also a danger to the traffic, causing accidents. • Only one horizontal signboard per business establishment; vertical signboards not allowed; protruding signboards allowed only in buildings with 4 or more stories and in a uniform fashion • In buildings 3 stories or less, signboards must fit into the space between the stories; in buildings with more than 3 stories, signboards are allowed only in the upper part (건축물 상단) and in the side (측면) of the building • Protruding signboards are allowed when horizontal ones cannot be used, and then only on the 2nd floor (2층). Only in medical facilities, pharmacies, barber and hairdressing shops (!) protruding signboards are allowed in the ground floor in case they do not obstruct traffic. • Signboards in windows are allowed to take 20% of the window space and cannot be attached closer than 1 meter from the ground. • Only colors that fit the surroundings are allowed, and text shall be in quadrangle lettering (사각체) The ministry offical tells that the intention is that the older streets and existing cities and towns would follow these rules voluntarily as they are first enforced in the newly built new towns. The illustration is a Korean cartoon from late 20s, being sarcastic about oversized signboards in exposition (pangnamhoe) shops. It was recently published in Modôn ppoi Kyôngsôngûl kônilda (see the sidebar). Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: businesskeepers ∙ cities ∙ housing