Government’s Original Bill on Special Economic Zone to Be Put to Vote

The majority Grand National Party (GNP) and the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) have decided to revise again the bill on the special economic zone, which they failed to deal with on Nov. 8, and put the revised bill to the vote at the plenary session of the National Assembly on Nov. 14. They will revise the bill in accordance with the government’s original bill, in which the designation of special economic zone would be limited to cities with an international airport or a port.

Rep. Kim Hyo-seok of the MDP said, "When the finance and economy committee revised the bill to allow inland areas to be designated as special economic zones, labor fiercely protested against it. So we plan to change the bill again and consult with the GNP on Nov. 13." Rep. Im Tae-hee of the GNP also related, "Though we did not present the bill on the special economic zone to the National Assembly, Nov.8, due to the opposition of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, we will put the bill to the vote at the Nov. 14 session." The two parties will present a revised bill to the National Assembly with the consent of 30 lawmakers. During the deliberation by the Assembly, the bill on the special economic zone was renamed the bill on economic free area, in which the standard for designation of free areas were eased to “areas with traffic facilities” from the original “areas with an international airport or a port,” causing the fierce protest from labor unions and educators.

Young-Hae Choi yhchoi65@donga.com