By Kim Cheong-won
Staff Reporter


Cheju Province’s plan to turn the resort island into a free international city is expected to get a boost, as voters approved the local government’s new administrative system on Wednesday.

A total of 82,919 voters, or 57 percent of 145,388 eligible votes cast ``yes’’ ballots on the new system while 62,469 voters or 43 percent opposed the idea.

According to the proposal, the island’s two counties will be merged with its two cities, and are to be directly controlled by the provincial government.

The mayors of the two expanded cities will be appointed by the Cheju governor.

Currently, the island province has two cities _ Cheju City and Sogwipo City _ and two counties _ North Cheju County and South Cheju County.

After the new system won approval, Cheju Governor Kim Tae-hwan, who supports the new system, said that he will concentrate on making the island a hub city in Northeast Asia that will promote international business activities and the free flow of people, goods and investment.

``With greater authority and a faster decision-making process, let us establish Cheju as a first-class international free city,’’ the governor said.

The central government has also been pushing for a plan to make Cheju Island a free international city similar to Hong Kong and Singapore by 2011.

According to the plan, the island will be a visa-free international city for global tourism, finance, and logistics, and specifically will offer tax benefits for domestic and foreign investors.

It will also allow foreigners to establish schools in Cheju and allow Korean students to be admitted to the schools.

It is expected that the Island will eventually attract 9.93 million tourists annually and boost per capita provincial income to $20,000 by 2011, when the project is completed.

Experts say that the voting results reflect Cheju residents’ willingness to change the current administrative system into a more efficient one.

``The current system requires high costs, but with low efficiency, as there are too many reporting ladders,’’ said Kim Cheul-heui, an official at the Cheju branch of the Junior Chamber International Korea.

He insists that to be the global city Cheju aims to be, a simpler two-city system under the provincial government is desirable.

``The ballot results imply that Cheju residents want changes and reform of the current system,’’ said Hong Won-young, an official at the provincial government.

``There will be a lot of hurdles in front of us to implement the new system. But, we will do our best to minimize side effects and to be reborn as a low-cost, highly effective government,’’ he explained.

Amid high expectations for the new system, some voiced concerns over the emotional gap between people who oppose the idea and others who favor it.

By local area, the election results show there the Island is divided according to their interests.

Cheju City supported the new system with 46,323 votes or 64.5 percent. North Cheju County gave the nod to the new system with 17,688 votes or 57.2 percent and South Cheju County’s approved it with 9,952 voters, or 45.1 percent, saying yes.

``As the voter turnout stood at just 36.7 percent, lower than the 49.8 percent for a by-election last year to elect the new governor, it cannot be said that the results reflect Cheju community’s opinion as a whole,’’ said Kim Sang-geun, a representative of the Cheju Residents’ Autonomy Association.

``Although the new system won approval, more various and different voices should be heard in the process of implementation,’’ Kim added.

He added that as the two mayors will be appointed by the Cheju governor, a measure which can check and control the power of the governor should be introduced.

``The results should be recognized as it is the Cheju people’s decision,’’ said Kim Sung-jun, professor at the Cheju National University.

``If there is any problem in the process of implementation, we can address it. Now, it is time to minimize the gap between regions and to focus our efforts on the more constructive issues,’’ he added.

kcw@koreatimes.co.kr