Massive backlash hits ruling camp
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The Maeil Shinmun, a daily newspaper published in Daegu, ran a blank front page, Wednesday, to represent the government’s scrapping of a plan to build a new airport.
Scrapping of new airport plan infuriates residents
By Kang Seung-woo
The government and the ruling Saenuri Party are struggling to quell a massive backlash from politicians and residents after it scrapped a much-touted plan to build a new airport in the southeastern region of the nation.
The government announced on Tuesday that it would expand Gimhae International Airport in Busan instead of building a new airport on either Gadeok Island or in Miryang. This was considered a “stopgap measure” to prevent a split of traditional strongholds of President Park Geun-hye and the ruling party.
However, Park is now facing harsh criticism from residents and politicians based in the regions for reneging on one of her presidential election pledges.
In protest against the government’s decision, the Maeil Shinmun, a local newspaper in Daegu, ran a blank front page in its Wednesday edition, with only one sentence in the middle, “The government gave up on this province by giving up on the airport plan.”
Analysts said the decision could prompt many people in the southeastern provinces to turn their backs on the President and the ruling party ahead of next year’s presidential election.
“Yesterday, the government reached the conclusion to expand Gimhae Airport based on a feasibility study by a foreign company. It is a cost-saving ― and yet safe ― measure that is expected to effectively handle growing airline demands,” Park said during a meeting with the National Unification Advisory Council at Cheong Wa Dae.
“The government will try its best to successfully complete the airport expansion.”
Earlier in the day, the presidential office defended the expansion plan, refuting the claims that Park withdrew her campaign pledge.
“The decision was made based on many conditions, and thus can be considered the most optimal choice, so it is not the case that President Park broke her pledge,” said presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk. “Expanding Gimhae airport is virtually equivalent to building a new airport.”
Separately, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn held a meeting with ministers relevant to the airport issue to discuss follow-up measures.
“The decision took into consideration aspects of safety, economic efficiency, accessibility, and the environment,” Hwang said, adding that the Gimhae expansion project is more like building a new airport, rather than just extending the existing one.
He also asked relevant provinces to accept the result for the greater good of the country.
The Saenuri Party joined forces with Cheong Wa Dae in stressing that expanding Gimhae airport will effectively be like building a new airport.
“The announcement was the best decision that the land ministry has made lately,” said Saenuri floor leader Chung Jin-suk.
“From now on, I want to call it‘new Gimhae airport,’ not ‘expanded Gimhae airport.’”
Despite those efforts to calm public anger, the political backlash may lead to President Park losing her grip on the region.
“If the government had awarded the new airport to either Miryang or Gadeok Island, it could have satisfied the winner and its citizens. However, no decision made both sides unhappy and dissatisfied, which was a wrong move,” said Cho Jin-man, a professor of political science at Duksung Women’s University.
“The Park administration should have picked one site and sought ways to settle public sentiment for the losing candidate.”
In the April 13 general election, the Saenuri Party saw the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) win five out of the 18 National Assembly seats up for grabs in Busan. An independent candidate also took a parliamentary seat there.
“The outcome of the election showed that the Saenuri’s popularity in Busan was waning and the scrapping of the airport plan is likely to hasten the withdrawal of support for President Park and the Saenuri Party there,” said a political watcher on condition of anonymity.
“In addition, it is also expected to adversely affect President Park’s loyalists who plan to run in the elections for the party chairmanship in August and the presidential election next year.”
Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University, said that Daegu may complain that Cheong Wa Dae virtually took sides with Busan with the decision to upgrade the Gimhae airport.