Seoul City will hold a contest for best "modern-war scenarios" by its residents to "promote a public sense of security" as tensions mount over North Korea's attack of a South Korean warship in March, a move raising eyebrows of some civic activists.
In a notice put up on its Web site, the city government Thursday asked interested students, adults and public officials to send in their scenarios by June 30 on "what might happen in a modern war."
"We planned this contest to enhance a sense of security among citizens, adolescents and civil servants, and use suggestions in future Ulchi drills," the notice said, referring to the annual South Korea-U.S. military maneuver.
However, some criticized the city government's event as "anachronistic" and that it might create a public sense of insecurity instead.
"We're afraid such a contest might deepen the confrontation between the two Koreas since North Korea obviously is the primary target of a modern war," an activist from the liberal civic group People Opening Peace and Unification said.
"It's anachronistic to invite ordinary citizens and students, not soldiers, to the contest," the activist said, declining to be named.
Seoul city officials refuted the criticism, saying the contest is simply to mark the month of fallen patriots and war veterans in June.
The military might be "inspired by various and creative ideas from citizens and students" to respond effectively to rapidly changing types of modern war, they said.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain high after a multinational investigation blamed a North Korean submarine for torpedoing the warship Cheonan near the Yellow Sea border on March 26.
North Korea has vehemently denied any role in the attack, threatening to wage a war in response to any punishment attempts.
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