주제 공지 7/2 Moving public agencies

[Clark]

Moving public agencies

(1) Where were you born and raied? Would you tell us about your hometown such as the extent of development or specialty?

(2) What do you think about this government's crucial decision?

(3) In your opinion, what could be advantages and disadvantages of the state-run corporations being moved to the other provinces from Seoul?

(4) Some are raising their voices that it is so far premature to carry out the big change. Does your thought on the issue correspond with theirs? If not, when do you think it is timely?

(5) Do you think transferring the public institutions to the other provinces is the ideal alternative to the overall balanced development of Korea? could you come up with a better idea?

Grenade(hand bomb) Incident...

1. what did u feel when u met that news at first?

2. What do u think of Korean army system? (Do u think we need something new in Korean military service so as to prevent that kind of incident?)

3. Discuss men who did military servive or didn’t. (Do u think Korea should be needed compulsory army service? Why do u think?)

- 참조 기사 -

Moving public agencies

Under its plan to move 177 public corporations, government-funded research institutes and other agencies away from Seoul, the government made a final decision yesterday about which ones will go to what province beginning in 2007. It was a difficult job indeed, given that the provinces had engaged in cutthroat competition to get the best deal out of the large-scale relocation project.

The government had intended to announce new homes for public corporations and other agencies in March. But it had to delay a final decision and establish new rules as provinces locked horns to host Korea Electric Power Corp., a huge state-run utility, among others.

In late May, the government signed a contract with 11 provinces and metropolises, under which one would limit itself to playing host to KEPCO and two subsidiaries and the others would raise no objection to the government's final decision on the remaining 174 corporations and agencies.

But it would be naive to believe the contract will shield the government from the furor of the provinces and metropolises that may feel discriminated against. With gubernatorial and other local elections scheduled for next year, the government and its Uri Party will have to brace for voter reactions from Ulsan, which lost out to Gwangju in its competition for KEPCO, and other disgruntled regions.

Its political impact set aside, the relocation project will surely help reduce the gap in tax revenues and job opportunities between metropolitan Seoul and the rest of the nation. But it cannot stop at its intended goal of facilitating balanced national development.

Instead, it should do far more, given the huge amount of money it will cost. The government believes the cost will range from 3 trillion won to 4 trillion won while private institutes warn it could balloon to 10 trillion won to 20 trillion won.

A major issue of immediate concern is how to keep post-relocation efficiency from falling. To do so, all the corporations and agencies will have to make the best use of new comparative advantages to be created by their relocations. Eventually, however, efficiency will have to be raised above the present level.

But it will prove to be an extremely difficult job. That is the reason why provincial administrations, local academic and research institutes and even nongovernmental organizations are urged to join hands with the newcomers in expanding comparative advantages and thus encourage outside business enterprises to invest in the provinces.

Another issue of concern is an unavoidable increase in costs. The government insists the relocations will not push up costs to an intolerable level. Indeed, where a corporation is headquartered is made less important than before because of advances in transportation and communications.

Still, it is an undeniable fact that it will cost more to do business away from the major market, which, of course, is metropolitan Seoul. That is the very reason why Samsung, LG and other leading Korean business groups maintain their head offices in Seoul.

It is public corporations, research institutes and other agencies that will have to strive to curb their cost increases. However, these efforts cannot be left to them alone. Instead, provincial administrations will have to assist them in every way possible, including giving them tax breaks during the initial stage of settlement.

Anticipated resistance from trade unions will also pose a serious threat to the relocation project. Appealing to their loyalty alone will not work. Corporations and agencies involved, as well as the government and the provinces will have to ensure that workers' life in the new environment will be agreeable.

Shooting Rampage Was Premeditated (the korea times)

The Defense Ministry said yesterday that the shooting rampage, which claimed the lives of eight soldiers on Sunday, was planned two days ahead of the incident.

A 22-year-old private soldier, Kim Dong-min, told investigators that he plotted the shooting rampage last Friday after he was bullied by his senior soldiers for months, Brig. Gen. Park Chul-soo, who heads a military investigation team, said in a media briefing at the ministry in Seoul.

In an initial report on Sunday, the Army said that Kim committed the crime ``by accident in a burst of anger,'' due to habitual harassment from his seniors.

Kim tossed a grenade inside his barracks at a guard post (GP) in Yonchon, 70 kilometers north of Seoul, as 25 soldiers slept, and went on a shooting spree, claiming the highest number of casualties for a single incident in the Army since 2000.

``During the investigation, Kim said he decided to kill all of his platoon comrades on June 17 in vengeance after being insulted by seniors in a reproach using abusive language,'' Park said.

``Kim is a very timid person who is easily hurt by trivial words,'' the investigator said, adding the private was found to be allegedly addicted to a computer game, including online gun-shooting games.

Kim had no history of mental illness and had not been physically abused by high-ranking soldiers, since he was dispatched to the frontline with North Korea last January.

However, senior soldiers allegedly psychologically and verbally harassed Kim frequently for his introspective personality and slowness, according to the investigation.

Private Kim had said several times that he wants to ``shoot everyone dead,'' according to Kim's close friend, who is serving in the military with Kim.

On Friday, Cpl. Shin Jae-hee severely scolded Kim with insulting words for not helping him clean out a drain in a kitchen, according the ministry.

Kim testified that he was then ``humiliated'' and made up his mind to commit a crime against all platoon members at that moment, though he had not a concrete crime scheme, Park said.

Investigators also found the border unit failed to follow Army regulations, as Kim dropped out during his GP duty without turning in his weapons.

Troops stationed inside the 4-kilometer-wide demilitarized zone (DMZ) carry live ammunition and grenades on duty but are not allowed to take weapons into the barracks, according to the Army.

The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday when Kim finished his overnight duty at GP inside the 4-kilometer-wide DMZ dividing the two Koreas.

Kim entered the barracks to wake up his replacement after his GP duty, picking up a K-1 rifle from a gun box in the barracks, instead of his K-2 rifle, he said. Then Kim first hurled a grenade into the barracks, investigators said.

Kim shot and killed platoon leader First Lieutenant Kim Jong-myeong on his way to a command-and-control room. He subsequently gunned down Cpl. Chon Jung-woon, a cook for the unit, in the kitchen.

The private then came back to the barracks and randomly fired 44 rounds, consuming two 25-round magazines toward stunned and bleeding soldiers, investigators said.

Kim was arrested about 30 minutes after the incident and said he was not willing to turn himself in or kill himself, investigators said.

The ministry said it will inspect the human rights conditions of soldiers at all military units across the country until Thursday.

``The Army will launch special investigation teams for the frontline troops such as soldiers serving at guard posts,'' said Park. He said the Army sternly disciplines all those responsible for the incident according to the military law.

The two Koreas are still technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce. About 1.7 million troops stand off each day between the two nations. Every South Korean man serves two years of mandatory military service.

[Clark]

이번주엔 정시에 필참하겠습니다! 리플 팍팍 달아주삼~~~~~~~ ^^

[rei ayanami]

참석 합니다~ 근데 moving public agency가 무슨 말이예요?

[테러]

공공기관 지방이전...대구에는 가스공사,산업기술평가원,신용보증기금 등 12개가 이전해 올 예정이라고 하네요..^^

[Ricky]

이번주에도 민토에서 모임합니다..착오없으시길..

[NO.1]

저도 참석합니다 ^^ 그때 뵙죠

[폴리아나]

신입 참석합니다^^ 근데...주제문 너무어렵네요...여전히 힘든영어~~ㅜㅜ

[★sunny★]

ㅆㅓㄴㅣ두 올만에 참석 ㅋ

[카푸치노]

안녕하세요! 신참입니다!! 내일처음으로 참가할려고 합니다....그럼 낼 뵙쬬!!! ^^v

[Keep-In-High]

내일뵐께요^^ 헤헤헤

[Soju]

소주도 참석입니다~ㅋ