President visits Chungcheong province amid Sejong City row

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak made a politically-sensitive trip to the central province of Chungcheong Tuesday, as he faces a strong backlash against efforts to scrap his predecessor's plan to create an administrative town there.

It was Lee's first visit to the region since the government announced its
decision last month to turn Sejong City into a "business, science, and education"
hub. The alternative plan, subject to the National Assembly's approval, is
unpopular among local residents and opposition parties. Even a host of lawmakers
in the ruling Grand National Party are opposed to it.
Lee's aides said his trip to Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, some 130
kilometers south of Seoul, was not directly related with the issue.
"(The trip) is just to receive a briefing on the local government's vision for
the development of the region," an official at the presidential office Cheong Wa
Dae said. "President Lee is unlikely to make special comments on the Sejong City
issue."
Among the issues discussed were ways to create jobs, accelerate a national
project to refurbish the Geumgang river running through the central area,
develop the Cheongju International Airport, and promote a plan to build a
bio-health science cluster in Osong on the outskirts of Cheongju, the official
added.
He did not, however, rule out the possibility that the president will comment on
the Sejong City issue during a luncheon meeting with the heads of local media
outlets later in the day.
On Monday, Cheong Wa Dae made clear that it has no intention to seek a national
referendum on the revision plan, saying the government will not give up efforts
to broaden public support for it.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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