City Council Rejects Budget Despite Presidential Pledge
"Approach Needed from a Broad, Non-Political Perspective"
12 City Council Members Opposing the Acquisition of Public Property in Suncheon City. Provided by Suncheon City Council
The "Namhaean Namjungkwon Integrated Sports Park" project, which is being promoted by Suncheon City in South Jeolla Province, has hit a major obstacle after the city council rejected the plan to acquire public property. This project is not only a key presidential pledge of President Lee Jae Myung but also a core infrastructure for hosting the World Universiade. However, it has faced opposition from city council members belonging to the Democratic Party of Korea.
According to Suncheon City on June 16, the city planned to invest 17.7 billion won to acquire 320,000 square meters of land for sports facilities as a first step, but the city council voted it down. All 12 council members who opposed the plan are members of the Democratic Party's Suncheongap Regional Committee. They argued that the project is premature, stating that "the national plan has not been finalized" and "the central government has not yet conducted an investment review."
However, there are strong counterarguments to this position. Suncheon City maintains that, from an administrative standpoint, land acquisition must take place before an investment review can proceed, and that hosting international events is only possible if the necessary infrastructure is established in advance. In fact, the successful bid to host the Universiade in the Chungcheong region was also achieved through a strategy of building foundational infrastructure beforehand.
Critics argue that this issue goes beyond a simple administrative process and has a distinctly political character. They point out the paradox that a project once pledged by presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung as a regional commitment is now being blocked by local council members from the ruling party.
Citizens have already experienced similar setbacks in the past, such as with the Yeonhyangdeul urban development project. The failure to pass the city council resolution delayed the project for five years, and as a result, compensation costs soared by more than 100 billion won. The current delay in acquiring land for the sports park could potentially lead to a similar financial loss.
There is growing suspicion that the city council's rejection of the public property acquisition plan stems from a complacent belief among council members that the project can simply be addressed after the next mayor is elected in next year's local elections.
The core issue is that the absence of pre-established infrastructure directly undermines competitiveness in the race among cities to host international events. Both domestic and international cases demonstrate that proactive preparation is a prerequisite for successful bids and regional development.
Suncheon has long been regarded as a model city in South Jeolla Province in areas such as education, tourism, environment, and urban regeneration. The political community and city council should approach this issue not as a tool for political strife, but from a broad, future-oriented perspective for the benefit of future generations. While constructive oversight of administration is necessary, city council members must make a sober judgment for the advancement of Suncheon.
Some observers view this confrontation not merely as a policy dispute, but as an exposure of the true nature of local politics. It is a moment to reflect on what truly serves the interests of Suncheon citizens.
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