By Kim Yon-se Staff Reporter President Roh Moo-hyun vowed Wednesday to maintain regional balance when the government allows 20 of about 40 universities to open law schools. ``The government will mainly focus on balanced regional development in the selection of law schools,'' Roh said in a speech at a ground-breaking ceremony for the Taean Business City in South Chungcheong Province. Roh's spokesman Cheon Ho-seon said, ``(Apart from Roh's pledge,) the government is required to consider a regionally balanced quota under ordinances to introduce the law school system.'' But he said the government will maintain the position of limiting the combined number of law school students to 1,500. ``We have not found any particular reason to increase the number.'' Universities in provincial areas vying for a quota of the three-year graduate law schools include Chungnam, Wonkwang, Chonnam, Pusan and Kyungpook national universities. In the speech, Roh said the core of balanced regional development lay in fostering competitiveness of universities in provincial areas. ``My first education policy was to promote knowledge-oriented development nationwide based on universities.'' He also commented on six business cities including Taean, saying, ``The cities will generate the effect of manufacturing 44 trillion won worth of goods and creating 490,000 jobs.'' The government has increased the budget for regional development. Though balanced regional development has been one of the most important goals of President Roh since his inauguration in 2003, the second phase of the balanced development plan is being criticized as for having been hastily prepared. The plan aims at luring businesses to rural areas by giving incentives such as tax cuts. An ad hoc committee plans to cut up to 50 percent in corporate taxes for up to 30 years. It also includes giving subsidies for employment and granting rights for urban development. Schools will be built to attract parents to provincial areas. But the plan has no concrete measures, critics said. Around 1.2 trillion won is needed for funding the plan in 2008, but corporate tax collected from businesses in the provinces will be cut in half, they pointed out. kys@koreatimes.co.kr