By Park Si-soo
Staff reporter
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is causing a stir as it is collecting essays on wartime scenarios from citizens and students on the presumption that the metropolitan city of 10 million people would come under attack from enemy fire.
It plans to choose the six best scenarios and reward their authors. It didn't stipulate who the "enemy" was in its notice posted on its website Monday, but many of those reading the message are certain that it is North Korea.
The contest guideline asks applicants to describe how the enemy would attack Seoul, with the award-winning works being used as reference materials for more effective military drills between South Korea and the United States.
The controversial competition comes amid an escalation in inter-Korean tensions following the sinking of a South Korean warship by a North Korean torpedo attack in March.
As the Seoul government pushes to refer the case to the U.N. Security Council to impose further sanctions on the North, the reclusive state has warned of a full-scale war and said in its latest official statement last week that it's ready to turn Seoul into a "sea of fire," its most provocative rhetoric in 16 years.
City officials claim this contest is to raise public awareness on national security in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the 1950-53 Korea War.
But critics have raise concerns this could worsen the current situation and provide North Korea with fresh grounds to condemn the South.
"It's ridiculous," said Lim Tae-hoon, head of an association working to improve military welfare."It could be seen by lay people that the city government is in active preparation for a bloody clash with North Korea."
The details are still available on the city government's website. Entries can be submitted until June 30. Six winners will be announced next month.