Lee vows not to discriminate against provinces

By Yoo Cheong-mo
SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak said Monday that his government will promote balanced national development by transferring all development profits generated in the Seoul metropolitan area to provincial areas.

Lee's remark came as the government's latest decision to lift regulations
restricting the construction and expansion of factories and other industrial
facilities in the Seoul metropolitan area has prodded opposition parties and
provincial governments to warn of a looming industrial vacuum in the provinces.
Announcing the sweeping deregulation policy last Friday, the Lee government
explained that the drastic deregulatory move is designed to turn the metropolitan
area into a high-tech industry hub through more efficient land utilization, as
well as stimulate the slumping economy by promoting fresh investment.
Lee's liberal predecessors had tightly regulated development in the capital area
in a bid to scatter industrial facilities across the nation and thus promote
balanced national development. However, most local business concerns, large or
small, are eager to set up or expand factories in the metropolitan area due to
easier access to markets and talented workers.
"A government plan to transfer all development profits from Seoul and areas in
its vicinity to provincial areas will be finalized during the first half of next
year," Lee was quoted as saying during his meeting with Park Hee-tae, chairman of
the ruling Grand National Party.
"My government has never changed its commitment to promoting the development of
provincial regions. Moreover, the bulk of the government's budget for next year
will go toward boosting the competitiveness of provincial regions and small
businesses," said the president.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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