By Jung Sung-ki
The ruling camp appears to be divided over a mega project to build an International Science and Business Belt (ISBB).
The project valued at some 3.5 trillion won ($3.12 billion) was one of the campaign pledges of President Lee Myung-bak.
Lee originally promised to build the science hub in South Chungcheong Province, a central region of the country, instead of the previous government’s plan to relocate government ministries to the “Sejong City” in the province.
But Lee’s bid was voted down at the National Assembly last year in the face of vehement opposition by Chungcheong residents and opposition parties.
In the wake of the Sejong debacle, the Lee administration drafted a bill on the construction of the ISBB without specifying its location. The bill was passed in December.
Against that backdrop, a presidential aide recently hinted that the government would select the ISBB site among potential locations across the nation.
His remarks immediately sparked a division among the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) lawmakers having constituencies in the Chungcheong region and those with theirs in other regions, such as Gyeongsang, Gyeonggi and Jeolla Provinces.
The Chungcheong-based opposition Liberty Forward Party also voiced concern about the government’s possible change of the future ISBB.
“This controversy should be settled after President Lee and the ruling party deliver their promise to establish the science hub in the Chungcheong region,” said Rep. Na Kyung-won, a member of GNP’s supreme council.
Council member Rep. Hong Joon-pyo argued, “The bottom line is that we should fulfill our pledge.”
Rep. Seo Sang-ki, who belongs to a district of Daegu, rebutted the claims.
“I can’t accept the argument on the creation of the ISBB in Chungcheong, which is just to secure votes from Chungcheong residents in the upcoming elections,” said Seo, a member of a parliamentary committee on science and technology.
GNP chairman Rep. Ahn Sang-soo was trying to prevent an internal division.
“We haven’t said the pledge will not be delivered,” Ahn said. “There are different opinions in the party, and chief policymakers of the party are consulting with the government on the issue.”