By Shim Jae-yun and Park Sung-wu
Staff Reporters

President Roh Moo-hyun on Thursday expressed opposition to the calls by the opposition party as well as heads of local governments for a national referendum to determine the envisioned relocation of the nation’s administrative capital.

``We have been pushing for the capital relocation as a key national strategy for the 21st century along with the plan toward the Northeast Asian hub,’’ Roh said during a meeting with a group of mayor and governors and relevant government officials at Chong Wa Dae.

He added the project has been essential to ensure a win-win policy through balanced development between the capital and the provinces.

``It is not appropriate to discuss the matter in a premature manner. This is Chong Wa Dae’s official stand,’’ presidential spokesman Yoon Tai-young said during a media briefing regarding the controversial issue.

Roh’s remark came in defiance of the growing demand for the referendum from opposition parties and some civic groups.

Roh vowed during the 2002 presidential election campaigning that he would conduct the referendum within a year after he is elected to seek consent from the public over the relocation of the nation’s capital.

A Chong Wa Dae official acknowledged it was one of Roh’s key campaign pledges.

``But the situation has changed, given the passage of the related bill through the National Assembly. The bill was passed at the time when the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) enjoyed dominating power in the parliament,’’ he said.

Against this backdrop, the dispute is likely to continue to flare up. GNP members have been claiming they have never heard of any plan to relocate the National Assembly and the Supreme Court along with administrative units.

Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak has been spearheading the anti-relocation campaign. ``I am poised to meet the president to discuss the matter in depth,’’ Lee said.

Lee, a GNP member, said during an interview with a radio program that he was not opposed to the project just because he is a Seoul mayor.

``I believe we need to approach the issue very cautiously as it will determine the fate of the entire nation and people in the future,’’ he said.

Kyonggi Province Gov. Sohn Hak-kyu has also been joining forces with Lee, calling for a referendum in a statement Tuesday.

``As the envisaged relocation of the capital requires a huge amount of money, the government should put the issue to the national voting without fail,’’ he said.

With the goal of facilitating the anti-relocation move, the nation’s major vernacular newspapers have also been raising fierce opposition to the project, releasing outcome of various public polls which show negative opinion on it.

The GNP yesterday held a meeting of relevant lawmakers to discuss possible problems the relocation will bring about.

``It’s now President Roh’s turn to say (something over his pledge),’’ GNP floor leader Kim Deog-ryong said at the party’s standing committee meeting. ``That was his promise and he should keep it.’’

The Seoul city government, which opposes removing the city’s function as an administrative capital, is strongly demanding the public vote, but the presidential office said it is not an ``appropriate time’’ to think about settling the issue by ballot.

Upon the cost of transferring the capital, the GNP also criticized the government’s preliminary tally at 6 trillion won ($5 billion). ``The government should explain why the cost has been multiplied to more than 40 trillion won,’’ Kim said.

Rep. Park Jin who attended the meeting cited the need to consider all possible measures including the referendum to extract the people’s consensus over the crucial issue.

Despite wide-spreading repercussion, Roh yesterday renewed his willingness to push forward with the relocation.

``The most important task facing the nation is to ensure a regional uniformity through decentralization,’’ he said during a meeting on balanced regional development at Chong Wa Dae.

Earlier, he vowed efforts to press for the project even at the risk of his presidency.

Roh believes he became to win the presidency due to support from the central Chungchong Province, which will gain most from the relocation plan.

The ruling Uri Party also garnered overwhelming support in Chungchong Provinces during the April 15 parliamentary polls.

But other sources said the possibility cannot be excluded that Roh will be forced to accept the demand for the referendum as a means of finding a breakthrough to the possible impasse.