‘Design Korea Project’ Eyed
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
The next government will seek to improve the image of Korea and establish its own cultural identity under the ``Design Korea Project,'' a ranking transition team official said Monday.
The project aims at adding beauty and creativity to cutting-edge industrial sites as well as public construction areas.
``Korea is inundated with flashy store signs, motels and gigantic apartments,'' Rep. Maeng Hyung-kyu, head of the transition team's subcommittee for planning and coordination, told reporters.
He continued, ``The project is to harmonize cities with the natural environment as well as to reinvigorate regional history, tradition and scenery.''
For smooth application, the transition committee is considering introducing an organization to supervise the whole process of image makeup similar to Britain's Commission for Architecture and Built Environments (CABE).
The team is also seeking to recruit international designers who can harmonize buildings and other facilities within cities.
Committee members discussed launching a committee to address redesign at each municipal government to revive regional characteristics while setting standards for city design in construction-related laws, Maeng said.
For large-scale government projects such as the inland waterway and building an international science business belt, the next government can create a design coordination committee to run pilot programs, he added.
Kang Seung-kyu, a vice-spokesman of the committee, said aesthetic factors can strengthen the nation's competitiveness and the next government will expand support for design-related programs.
In regard to unsightly store signs, the official said that the incoming administration will impose restrictions on existing buildings as well as new structures after consulting with municipal governments.
As a long-term plan, the government will reorganize systems and organizations for the harmonious design of the environment and cities.
However, the design project will not excessively regulate construction or landscaping, Maeng said.
``Private organizations will lead the project while the government will merely give them support,'' he said. ``I believe more people will voluntarily join the project if experts suggest good ideas to local governments.''