Administrative New City Development in Asan

An `administrative new city` of 500,000 people is to be constructed in an area around Cheonan station of the Seoul-Pusan express railway in Asan, Southern Choongchung-do. Asan will be `the 3rd self-sufficient administrative new city` in succession after Kwacheon, Kyonggi-do and Daejeon Metropolitan City, when people begin to move into the city in 2006 according to the government`s plan.

On the 23rd, the Ministry of Construction and Transportation (MCT) announced this year`s project including the development of the `Asan administrative new city. `

Im In-Taek, the Minister of Construction and Transportation, announced the project saying, "We will promote developing a new city in an 8.76-million pyong area around Cheonan express railway station at the beginning of 2004, when the constructions of the Seoul-Pusan express railway and double-tracked electric railway line between Suwon- Cheonan are completed." Minister Im said, "We plan to launch the development project after designating one-million pyong large area as an expected development district in the first half of this year as the first step." In the second step, Asan will be developed step by step as a new city with self-sufficient function by accepting the Capital area`s housing, business and education.

An official of MCT said, "We plan to make Asan new city as `the 3rd administrative new city` after Kwacheon and Daejeon by moving the MCT and 11 subordinate agencies of MCT to Asan in several stages by 2010." The number of MCT personnel and 11 subordinates reaches 15,800.

The MCT plans to construct about 100,000 family residences in the `Asan administrative new city ` in order to cover 500,000 people and one million people in the long run.

The MCT also plans to cut down the one-way fare of the express railway, 10,000 won to 2,500 won in order to make the commuting between Asan new city and Seoul easier, so that the commuters pay no more than 150,000 won per month.

In addition, the MCT plans to consult with the related agencies about the policy of designating the high schools in Asan as the special school group and establishing alternative high schools and bringing up excellent schools positively in order to provide as good an educational environment as Kangnam, Seoul. And the MCT will do their best to relocate universities in Seoul to Asan.

There are plans to make Asan a composite entertainment complex for the residents of the Capital area using the express railway after establishing a `composite entertainment complex like Disney World` that covers 100,000 pyong.

The MCT decided to prepare a composite development project to promote Incheon International Airport as a central airport in northeastern Asia by developing Incheon International Airport vicinity lands including Kimpo and Sihwa reclaimed land, Yongjong-do, Songdo and Yongyu-do, and by developing 18 million pyong to the south of Sihwa lake as a residential district.

bonhong@donga.com