Seoul Citizens’ Association Holds Rally Urging Withdrawal of Capital Transfer

The Seoul Citizens’ Association Against the Capital Transfer, which is made up of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, the Seoul Metropolitan Autonomous District Council, and the National Association Against Capital Transfer, held a mass rally where around 30,000 were present on June 29 at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall and urged the government to immediately withdraw their plan to relocate the capital.

“Transferring the capital to south is out-of-date and rowing against the era of unification of the two Koreas,” said the Seoul Citizens’ Association in its written resolution and insisted, “Enforcing the transfer of the capital may lead to the breakup of the nation, including a deepening of inequality among regions.”

The written resolutions also stressed the following issues: that the consensus of 23 million Metropolitan area residents, who are the interested parties, should take precedence; that the government should use the expenses for the transfer of the capital to address other problems such as the recovery of the suffering economy and the unemployment of the younger generation.

The Seoul Citizens’ Association announced that it will submit the written resolutions to the government and will hold a similar rally in opposition to the transfer of the capital in Gyeonggi province, Incheon, and Kangwon province at a later date.

Lim Dong-kyu, president of Seoul Metropolitan Council, Choi Sang-chul, representative of the National Association, the chairmen of cities and provinces of the National Assembly in Gyeonggi province, Incheon, and Kangwon, and citizens’ representatives participated in the rally. Meanwhile, Seoul City has made some noise over permitting the rally against the transfer of the capital, bearing a political purpose, held in Seoul Plaza. Seoul City had proclaimed that it would not allow any political rally, which it insists interferes with “the quiet enjoyment of leisure and cultural activities of citizens,” to take place in Seoul Plaza.

Tae-Hun Hwang beetlez@donga.com