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President Lee Myung-bak apologized for his past statements on the Sejong City, which he said gave the impression that he supported the plan to build an administrative city in South Chungcheong Province. Although Lee's apology comes rather late, it is better than never.
In a nationally televised town hall meeting on Friday, Lee voiced his opposition to the Sejong City project involving the transfer of 13 government ministries and agencies to the administrative city, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul. The special bill on the construction of Sejong City was passed in 2005.
"I am somewhat ashamed, and I regret it when I think of it now," said Lee in reference to his election pledge as a presidential candidate in 2007 to uphold the Sejong City plan. Apparently, Lee was never sold on the idea of an administrative city but nevertheless promised to carry the plan through because he needed the votes. "I am sorry to the nation and the people of Chungcheong Province for causing such confusion, even though revising the plan will benefit them," Lee said.
The Lee administration has been seeking to downsize the Sejong City plan. Citing inefficiency, the administration wants to abandon the government agencies' relocation. Instead, it proposes to build a self-sufficient city by attracting businesses, schools and research institutes to move to the new city.
Understandably, the move to revise the Sejong City plan is being met with vehement resistance by the people of Chungcheong Province, opposition parties and the pro-Park Geun-hye faction within the ruling Grand National Party.
On Saturday, angry protesters threw eggs at the chartered bus carrying Prime Minister Chung Un-chan and the special committee charged with reviewing the Sejong City plan as it arrived at Sejong City. Former GNP chairwoman Park Geun-hye reaffirmed her position that the relocation of the government agencies must proceed and that other elements be added to the existing plan, if necessary, to ensure self-sufficiency of the city. Park, whose support is needed to pass any bill revising the Sejong City project, had insisted that the president apologize to the people.
Having apologized, Lee wants to steam ahead with a revision. Today, Lee meets with the GNP leadership to discuss the matter. Lee should also meet with the opposition leaders and have a "hear-to-heart." Lee has apologized but the bigger tasks of persuading the people why the original plan should be revised and presenting a new plan still remain.
The Sejong City project was conceived as a way to pursue balanced regional development. The premise behind the project was that when government ministries and agencies relocate, businesses would follow. While the government has yet to present a final proposal on the revision -- it said an announcement will be made on Dec. 14 -- the ideas for the city being floated so far center attracting businesses, schools, universities and research institutes.
However, most of these moves are already part of the original plan. This is why those opposed to revising the Sejong City plan say that the revision means a downsizing of the first plan.
The government insists that it is not downsizing or an abandoning of the Sejong City. On Saturday, the prime minister suggested that the new city could be a center of green growth. However, it is only after the administration unveils a final revision proposal that a real debate on the future of Sejong City can take place.
2009.11.30
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