Sung-Chan Cho: History and current focus of land value tax in S. Korea. A presentation at the TheIU.org 2013 Conference 'Economics for Conscious Evolution', London, UK, July 2013.

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History and Current Focus of Land Value Taxation
‘Movement’ in S. Korea
2013. 8. 24.
Sung-Chan Cho (Gilbut)
Institute of Land & Liberty

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1. History of Korean Georgist movements
1) Overall structure of Georgist organizations
□ Georgist organizations in S. Korea
O Jubilee & Land Justice Association (JLLA)
O Citizens’ Union for Land Justice (CULJ)
O Institute of Land and Liberty (ILL)
O Korea Land Policy Academy (KLPA) in Daegu, KyungSang Province

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2) Establishment and changes of Henry George Association
□ Some people who was influenced from Reuben Archer Torrey III
(the Anglican church’s father) established Henry George
Association of S. Korea (HGAK) in 1984.
□ HGAK changed its name into Association for Biblical Land Justice
(ABLJ) in 1996.
O That was because (almost) all the people who joined HGAK were
Christian, and they wanted to emphasize the Biblical basis of
HGAK. Forthemore, Reuben Archer Torrey III had emphasized the
importance of Biblical Land Justice and the role of Holy Spirit in
social reformation.

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O Now, Korean Georgist movement has two pillars: one is H.
George’s economic theory and other one is the principle of Jubilee
and land justice in the Bible.
□ ABLJ changed again its name into Jubilee & Land Justice
Association (JLJA) in 2010.
O Before the change of name, Jubilee Land Justice Action
Movement (JLJAM, 2007.5.14) stemmed from ABLJ. That was to
spread out the principle of Jubilee and biblical land justice to the
Korean churches.
O Jubilee & Land Justice Association (JLJA) is the combination of
ABLJ and JLJAM.

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3) Diversification of Georgist movement from HGAK
O Citizens' Union for Land Justice (2005.2.22) for social movement
O Institute of Land and Liberty (2007.11.5) for research and policy movement
O Jubilee & Land Justice Association (2007.13) for biblical movement

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4) Pioneers of Land Value Tax of Henry George in S. Korea
(1) Reuben Archer Torrey III
□ His life
1918. Jan. 19. Birth at Shandong Province of China
1928∼1932 North China American School
1933∼1934 PyungYang foreign School (N. Korea)
1934∼1935 Yenching University (China)
1935∼1939 Davidson College (America), Bachelor
1939∼1941 Princeton Theology Seminary
1940∼1942 U.S. Engineers

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1941∼1942 Structural Iron Work
1942∼1947 Sailor
1943∼1945 University of the South (America), Master
1946. Feb. 2. priestly ordination (Georgia Parish)
1946∼1957 Ministry at Churches
1950∼1951 Harvard University
1957∼1964 Re-establishment of Anglican University at Korea
1958∼1959 Korean Language School at YunSei University
1961. St. Augustine's College
1965. Establishment of Jesus Abbey at Kangwon Province
1990. Honorary Doctor of Divinity at University of the South
2002. Aug. 6. Eternal sleep by age 84 (S. Korea)

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□ Videos about him
O Archer Torrey’s memorial video after his death
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mxwAIOXx3c
O Special lecture for Christian students of Seoul National University
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-BicUKxqvw
O His short message
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUMuMCU6fKM
O Jane Grey (Mrs. Torrey)’s memorial video after her death
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NeeHWFKAt4

11. □□ His phhotos
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□ Story of meeting Henry George
O After the marriage with Jane, Torrey sought to find a solution for
poverty in Marxism, but he found that Marxism was not a sound
solution. Jane, his wife, met a political woman in the Fairhope (or
the village of Arden). This woman introduced to her H. George’s
book, Progress and Poverty, and then Jane introduced it to Torrey.
After reading the book, Torrey became a Georgist and seized every
opportunity he could get it into the church, university or Jesus
Abbey.

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□ Jesus Abbey (http://www.jabbey.org)
O The Torrey family, students of Anglican University, Hangdong
church and construction workers with him established Jesus
Abbey in a secluded mountain valley in 1962.
O Jesus Abbey is a community and a spiritual laboratory.
O Torrey emphasized the importance of biblical land justice in Jesus
Abbey, and visitors understood the relationship between land
justice and the Bible.

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O photos

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O The stone in the entrance of Jesus Abbey
- It says, "The land must not be sold
permanently, because the land is mine
and you are but aliens and my tenants.”
Leviticus 25:23.

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(2) Prof. Yoon-Sang Kim
O Ph.D. of Urban Planning, University of Pennsylvania
O Prof. of Administration College of Kyungpook National University.
O Translator of various Georgist books, including Progress and Poverty
O His books
- Author of Understanding Public Concept of Land, Geoism: A New
Land Paradigm (2009)
- Land Justice Will Save Korea (2011)
- The world without Privilege: New explanation of H. George’s
Philosophy (2013)

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O President of Land and Liberty Academy of Land and Liberty Institute
O For so long a time, he has been silently but persistently supporting
three-Georgist organizations, especially focused on the theoretical
basis.
O One semester left until his retirement

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O His photo

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2. Current organizations’ Activities
(1) Jubilee & Land Justice Association (JLJA)
□ Basic information
O Target: church and Christians
O Regular members (sponsors): 332
O Regular workers: 2
O website: http://landliberty.org/xe/
O Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jubileemovement

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- Young-Kun Ko (Director)

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- Shin-Geun Lee (administrator)

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□ Important Activities
O Jubilee School in Jesus Abbey (1982~2013)
- Jubilee School opens at Jesus Abbey 4 days every year in the summer.
- Average participants: 100 persons

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O Jubille Academy(2011-2013)
- It opens every year in the spring.
- 2013 year: 7 weeks (7 times), 24 persons

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O Jubilee Practice Joint-Worship
- Churches that agree with the Jubilee principle go into the place of
the torture and take a joint-service every year at the last week of
Korean Thanksgiving Day.
- Year 2012, with the fired workers of SSang Yong Autos(National Assembly)

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O opens a Forum or a press interview

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O etc.
- sending newsletter every week
- making video, cartoons, brochure, books, prayer meeting, special lecture

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(2) Citizens' Union for Land Justice (CULJ)
□ Basic information
O Target: Citizens and political party, government
O Establishment: established 2005 first, and reorganized 2012.
O Regular members (sponsors): 50
O Regular workers: 2
O Feature: This organization had devoted a lot in the process of
forming Comprehensive Property tax in 2005, in the period of
former president Mu-Hyun Noh.
O Site: http://landjustice.tistory.com/
O Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/landjustice

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- Tae-Kyung Lee (Director of CULJ, reporter of newspaper)

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- Sung-Yong Lee (Team director of CULJ, in a Master’s course)

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□ Important Activities: Seeking a solution to the problems of Rent Seeking
O Solidarity activity for CAFÉ 12PM (2013.2~5.)
- CAFÉ 12PM fell to the
situation of expulsion only
after the 11 months of opening
because of reconstruction.
- Solidarity activity helped
CAFÉ 12PM to reach an
agreement.

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O Solidarity activity for revision of a law for protection of commercial
building tenants
- Solidarity activity pushed the Assembly to revise a law for protection
of commercial building tenants, June, 2013.

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O Help the Rag Community to change into cooperatives for independence
- The Rag Community is a kind of self help organization for 30 years.
But they were evicted from a public land.
- They are seeking to change into cooperatives that apply Public Land
Leasing System.

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O Land Justice Study with Christian-Law School Students

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O Seeking solutions for commercial premium based on rent theory
- Commercial premium means large money which new commercial
building tenants give to the former tenants. The biggest part of
commercial premium is capitalized land rent.

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(3) Institute of Land and Liberty (ILL)
□ Basic information
O Target: research organization, political party and government
O Establishment: 2007
O Regular researchers: 3
O Regular sponsors: 120 persons (2013.7.12.)
O Site: http://landliberty.or.kr/
O Facebook:
1) Information of activities: http://www.facebook.com/#!/landliberty
2) Group conversation: http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/landliberty/

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- Director: Gi-up Nam (Ph. D. of Politics)

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- Chief Researcher for Land and Housing Center: Sung-Chan Cho
(Ph. D. of land policy)

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- Researcher: Seung Hyun, Seng (Master’s Degree of Economics)

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□ Important Activities
O Land+Liberty Academy (2012~2013)

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O Publications:
- Yoon-Sang Kim, The world without Privilege: New explanation of H.
George’s Philosophy (2013)
- Kun-Ju Kim et al., Jubilee, Korean Society, God’s Kingdom (2012).
- Yoon-Sang Kim et al., Land Justice Will Save Korea (2011).
- Henry George, The Land Question and Related Writings: Viewpoint
and Counterviewpoint on the Need for Land Reform (2013), Trans.
Yoon-Sang Kim.
- Ronald Burgess, Public Revenue Without Taxation (2011), Trans.
Yoon-Sang Kim.
- In-Sung Park & Sung-Chan Cho, Land Reform Experience in China:

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A Mirror for North Korea’s Land Reform (2011).
- Gi-Up Nam, Fair State (2010).
- Henry George, The Science of Political Economy (2011), Condensed
by Lindy Davies, Yoon-Sang Kim et al. trans.
- Fred Harrison, The Power in the Land (2009), Gang-Soo Jun & Gi-
Up Nam trans.
- Yoon-sang Kim, Geoism: A New Land Paradigm (2009)

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O Projects
- “A Study on Land Cooperatives: A Model for sustainable business
based on Traditional Market”, The Seoul Institute, 2013.
- “Policy Tasks for User-oriented Land and Housing”, Democratic
Policy Institute attached to Democratic Party, 2012.
- “The Lie and Truth surround Complex Property Tax”, Yong-Sup Lee
(congressman of the Democratic Party), 2008.
- “A Study on the Effect of Package-Type Tex Reform using CGE”,
Land and Liberty Institute, 2013.

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O Land and Liberty Research, Land and Liberty Report, Land and Liberty Review
O Journal, Special Lecture, Seminar, Interview
O Political participation in the 18th
Presidency Election, 2012.
- There were 3 strong candidates: one was Ms. Park of the ruling
Party (elected), Mr. Moon of the Democratic Party, and Mr. Ahn of
an independent.
- Some Georgists professors (KLPA, Lee Jung-Woo to Mr. Moon’s
camp and Jun Gang-soo to Mr. Ahn’s camp) and researchers (ILL,
to Mr. Ahn’s camp)
- Mr. Moon’s camp and Mr. Ahn’s camp included Property tax, Public
Land Leasing, High-level Public Officials’ asset blind trust.

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O Participation to Housing Cooperatives as an Establishment Executive

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(4) Korea Land Policy Academy (KLPA)
O Establishment: 1993
O Members: professors and researchers who can be called Georgists,
about 15 people.
O Four regular Seminar per year
O Features: This Academy is a pure land policy academy, but some
members have involved in new presidential camps separately.
Involved members have made some property policies based on
Georgist theory and philosophy.

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3. Introduction of LLI Project: [Land Value Taxation around the world]
1) Research objects
O Main countries’ property tax – acquisition tax – transfer tax system

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2) Main countries: basically follows the Esping-Andersen’s taxonomy
(1) liberalism welfare state
O United States of America, Britain, Japan, Australia
(2) Social Democracy welfare state
O Denmark, Sweden, Finland
(3) Cooperatives welfare state
O German, France, Italy
(4) Etc.
O Nederland, Spain

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3) Some questions to you
(1) Please recommend good sample countries which corresponds to
H. George’s theory
(2) Which online website services overall countries’ real estate tax
information? Or can you inform your countries’ official website
where we can confirm your countries’ real estate tax?
(3) How can real estate’s tax be classified based on which principle?

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(4) After the sub-prime mortgage incident in 2008, people are more
concerned about the crisis of capitalism. In this situation, Nordic
countries’ welfare state model such as Sweden, is increasingly
receiving attention. In Nordic countries’ tax system, however, tax on
property is significantly low but tax on individual and company income
is even higher. How can we interpret this kind of tax system in the
point of H. George?
- Thanks! -