[Editorial] 'Administrative City' Decision Should End the Conflict

The Constitutional Court has rejected a constitutional petition on the "administrative city" act and we welcome its decision. One really hopes its decision will put an end to the controversy about the administrative city, and that we will have a more mature society as a result of the whole process.

Ever since the court declared the "administrative capital" act unconstitutional based on the strange concept of a "customary constitution," the country has had to face a lot of discord and the social cost has been considerable. Because of that a lot of people were worried the embers of conflict would flare up again if the court also declared unconstitutional the "administrative city" act, which had been passed in the National Assembly by agreement among the ruling and opposition parties. It was a more sophisticated attitude on the part of the ruling and opposition parties for accepting the decision and pledging to pool national wisdom together in achieving balanced national development and to heal the discord.

The basic goal of the "administrative city" act is preventing overpopulation and centralization in the greater Seoul region and opening the way for balanced regional development. Our society has long needed balanced development in order to become a national community that lasts. The demographic concentration continues in the Seoul region, and regional governments are running campaigns to increase their populations. The regional population's sense of denial – a feeling that the Republic of Korea is composed of Seoul and nothing else – must not be ignored any longer.

Now that there are no lingering questions about unconstitutionality the government needs to pursue the project without letting any hitches get in the way. It has to make sure there are no complaints about regional discrimination, by pursuing other policies for balanced development as stipulated by the law that sets the administrative city in motion, measures such as moving public agencies to the provinces, development plans for the Seoul region, and by developing underdeveloped areas. It needs to do everything it can to prevent the negative side effects that critics have expressed concern over, such as having the metropolis that is Seoul extend from where it is now all the way to the new city and speculative real estate investment.

In addition, this needs to be the end of having politically strategizing constitutional petitions that infringe on the National Assembly's legislative authority. The politicians need to learn the lesson that when it comes to major affairs of state the ruling and opposition camps need to be wise together for the big picture.

The Hankyoreh, 25 November 2005.

[Translations by Seoul Selection]