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[Letters] Unhappy ending for Sejong

Published: 04 Jul. 2010, 21:34

When I read your article, “Assembly votes down Lee’s Sejong plan 164-105” on June 30, I was greatly disappointed by the failure of the revised Sejong City plan. This plan could have acted as a contribution toward the advancement of the region, and even our nation as a whole, making the investment worthwhile in the long run. The idea of it was absurd to begin with. Surely division in the administration between Seoul and Chungcheong will only hinder the level of efficiency in the running of the government.

Therefore, it would have made sense to take President Lee’s approach to advancement of the region. The revised plan would have transformed the region into a hub of business, education and science. Proposals by universities and large businesses such as Samsung to build facilities in the region sweetened the deal. When they announced their withdrawal of their plan to build facilities (in the case of Lee’s plan’s failure to pass), it should have been a clear sign that the revised plan needed to be pushed through. However, the opposition refused to see the light. They completely shunned the advantages that would have come packaged with the revised plan such as job creation by corporations, as stated by a resident in your article.

The opposition clearly ignored the possible employment opportunities that the revised plan’s associated businesses could have brought to the region, throwing away the chance for locals to directly benefit from Sejong City’s refurbishment.

Not only did this disposal of President Lee’s plan throw away the advantages it would have brought, but it also made a laughingstock out of the GNP. Park Geun-hye’s lack of support for Lee was more than disappointing. Instead of showing a united front with Lee, she has greatly embarrassed her party by creating a division within.

In all, this Sejong City plan and controversy has proved to be nothing more than vitriolic bickering between politicians. After years of administrative dithering, it has all boiled down to this unfortunate ending.

Oh Soo-young,

a student at Sacred Heart Girls’ High School