Public divided on capital relocation.

(From The Korea Herald)

By Kim So-young The Grand National Party may have hoped to galvanize opposition in a public debate yesterday on moving the capital from Seoul. Instead, it stirred up a split verdict.

Views were relatively balanced, with the same number of opponents and proponents unveiling their reasoning before GNP lawmakers and other citizens gathered at the National Assembly.

Ahead of the forum, GNP Chairwoman Park Geun-hye apologized again for her party's approval of the capital relocation bill last year, saying it stemmed from political calculation. The conservative GNP held the majority when it steered the bill through. Later, in the April general elections, it lost the majority to the liberal Uri Party.

GNP floor leader Kim Deog-ryong lambasted the government for pressing ahead with the crucial relocation project without a national consensus and questioned its impact on balanced regional development.

But six panelists, equally divided between pros and cons, did not seem to be affected by the early mood-setting. Regardless of their positions, all agreed on the need to promote balanced regional development and resolve Seoul's overpopulation problem.

"People always go where there are opportunities. All resources and capital have been concentrated in the metropolis while the population continues to decline elsewhere, because there are few opportunities for employment, education and culture," said professor Yoon Jun-sang of Gongju University in South Chungcheong Province.