[EDITORIALS]Create government synergy

The government has come up with three alternative plans for the relocation of the administrative capital. First is creating special administrative city, to which all government ministries will move except the Blue House, the National Assembly and the Foreign Ministry. Second is creating a central administrative city by moving most of the government agencies to a new site, and third is creating an education and science administrative city and moving related agencies there.
It is worth noting that the government has presented a selection of alternatives and has made efforts to take the public’s opinions into account. But among the three options, No. 1 and 2 are still seeking a de facto move of the administrative capital that would run counter to the Constitutional Court’s ruling. It is worrisome that the government shows reluctance to let go of its original plan to move nearly all of the administrative agencies.
The government’s administrative efficiency is the key to national competitiveness. To have the president and the administrative government in different locations is the same as having one’s head far apart from one’s hands and feet. Even if communications have developed, face-to-face contact and conversations are much more effective. That is why most financial and high-tech industries are centered in large cities.
In deciding the location of the Blue House and the administrative government, efficiency should be the first priority. Also, the close cooperation between the administrative government and the National Assembly is vital in the legislative process or in Assembly hearings.
In this respect, it is worth considering the pursuit of creating an education and science city. If such a city is built in Gongju, Yeongi area, in South Chungcheong province, it will be close to the successful Daedeok Research Complex near Daejeon, and the medical and health complex in Osong, North Chungcheong Province. By linking the two complexes, the new city will play the role of a regional center. And its location close to universities in the Chungcheong area will create a synergistic effect.
To create such a city, universities, corporations, and research centers and the government must collaborate together. In doing so, we need to seek a winning strategy of achieving balanced national development and enhancing national competitiveness.