S. Korea has no future without balanced national development: minister

Seoul, September 2 (Yonhap) -- The head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, Minister Lim Ki-keun, emphasized the necessity of balanced national development during a forum on the matter, asserting that the country's prospects may hinge on equitable regional growth. Lim stressed that the issue is more pressing than ever and that the government is earnestly working towards achieving it.

While preceding administrations had advocated for balanced development policies, their efforts often culminated in mere rhetoric without substantial on-the-ground progress. He pointed out that the Seoul metropolitan area continues to dominate investment, resources, and population, leaving other regions underdeveloped. Lim explained that balanced development was once considered a desirable objective, but falling short of it only resulted in slight disappointment.

However, he now firmly believes that the Republic of Korea cannot have a future unless it pursues region-led growth. He further elaborated that the government is undertaking a more comprehensive approach compared to earlier efforts, aiming to implement real changes. Lim referred to the "grand national land transformation" initiative, which seeks to establish growth engines in eight regions, known as "five poles and three specials."

The five poles encompass the capital area, the southeastern region, North Gyeongsang Province, Daegu, and the southwestern region, while the three specials refer to Jeju Island, North Jeolla Province, and Gangwon Province.