City Development Project Has Opponents

Cheong Wa Dae announced Thursday that it will unveil its preliminary plan for its participatory city development project at the end of this month.

The announcement was met with strong resistance from major opposition parties, including the Grand National Party and the Democratic Labor Party. They contended, “The project is highly likely to be abused for political purposes, especially ahead of upcoming local elections on May 31 and the presidential election scheduled for the end of next year.”

Seong Gyeong-ryung, head of the Presidential Committee on Balanced National Development, stated in a news conference at Cheong Wa Dae Thursday, “The government’s preliminary blueprint and policy directions will be publicized for the participatory city development project at the end of January or at the beginning of February, once the government policy coordination body takes shape.”

He added, “We are concerned that the nation’s cities and rural areas will face serious quality of life problems if they are left unattended. In this regard, various studies are underway on themes such as ‘recreation of cities’ and ‘rejuvenation of rural areas.’”

As for the future direction of the project, he said, “In the case of cities, the first priority will include expanding green areas, improving air quality, and upgrading the living environment, such as the water supply and sewage system. Second, the project will concentrate on the restoration of historical and cultural heritage. Third, it will concentrate on improving public services such as education, housing, health care, and welfare.”

As for the criticism of the project as an election ploy, he dismissed suspicions, saying, “It is impossible to use the project for election purposes. Do you think it is possible to mobilize the public from top to bottom in the modern society? In the project’s earlier stages, the government will play a limited role, and then it will encourage the public to lead the project.”

Despite the government’s explanation, some experts and oppositions parties are arguing that the government intends to take advantage of the project as a major national election issue for the upcoming local elections, given that the project plan will be disclosed at the end of January.

Lee Gye-jin, Grand National Party spokesperson, lambasted the government in a news conference at parliament after the government’s announcement, saying, “I want to ask whether the government is pushing for the project for the good of public or it is just attempting to develop the project into a government-led national campaign for upcoming local elections and the presidential election. The government doesn’t have to confuse the public with complex jargon. I hope that it comes clean and confesses that the project is modeled after the Saemauel (New Community) Movement in the 1970s.”

Park Yong-jin, Democratic Labor party spokesman, said, “If the project deteriorates into another government-led Saemauel Movement, it is highly likely to force the public to participate in the government’s efforts. The government should remember that the second national building movement pushed by the Kim Dae-jung administration went nowhere.”

Joong-Hyun Park sanjuck@donga.com jyw11@donga.com