It is not unusual for the central government and local governments to clash over policy priorities. It is the same between provincial and metropolitan governments and smaller local governments like counties, which are called “gu” or “gun” here.
But the seemingly perennial confrontations and mutual accusations we see between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Gangnam-gu, the posh commercial and residential district in the heart of the capital, sicken many. Both Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and Gangnam Mayor Shin Yeon-hee, who seem at odds over almost everything -- should bear the brunt of the blame.
In August this year, Shin’s office led a lawsuit to block the metropolitan government’s plan regarding the redevelopment of a vast tract of land that housed the former head office building of Korea Electric Power Corp. in Samseong-dong.
The suit, filed in the names of about 15,000 residents of Gangnam-gu, was aimed at stopping the metropolitan government from using part of money coming from the sale of the land to refurbish the Seoul Sports Complex in Jamsil, which is located in nearby Songpa-gu.
The land Hyundai Motor Group purchased from KEPCO for 10.55 trillion won ($9.05 billion) includes residential areas and the automotive group needs government approval to turn them into commercial areas. Doing so will elevate the value of the affected areas, for which Hyundai agreed to donate 1.7 trillion won to the city.
Gangnam’s logic is that the money originates from a project inside the district and it should be spent only for the district -- like redevelopment of the Yeongdong Boulevard -- and nowhere else. Few outside Gangnam would agree with this selfishness of those who live in one of the richest districts in the country.
Lately, Gangnam is also challenging the city government’s plan to open a second municipal community center -- named Citizens’ Hall -- in the Seoul Trade Exhibition and Convention Center located in Gangnam.
The district office argues that it has its own plan to use the place -- as a cultural complex -- and that the plan violates the city ordinance stipulating any such municipal community center should be established inside facilities affiliated with the metropolitan government.
The two sides failed to resolve the issue through dialogue, with Gangnam asking the Board of Audit and Inspection to say which side is right.
Park and Shin have gotten emotional in the wake of the series of disputes, waging a war of words. Park accuses Shin of pursuing selfish interests, whereas Shin criticizes the mayor for his high-handed treatment of the district office. The fact that the two are on opposing ends of the political and ideological lines may have exacerbated their relations.
To be fair, Shin seems too obsessed with protecting the interests of voters who elected her. But both Park and Shin cannot avoid criticism for failing to resolve the disputes through negotiations. They lack the very essential qualification for politicians -- ability to negotiate and compromise.
