River divides Seoul in standard of living

It has been revealed that there was a great discrepancy between the parts of Seoul north of the river as opposed to the south concerning the residential environment and the health and welfare facilities that determine the quality of life.

Gap in residential environment worsens:

Rep. Cho Yang-Ho, the member of the Culture and Education Commission of the Seoul Metropolitan Assembly, called for a countermeasure.

"The budget spending for Kangnam district is 2.5 times that of Dongbon district, two times that of Kangbuk, and 1.8 times that of Joong-lhang district," Rep. Cho said. "Although we are all the same citizens of Seoul, there is a great difference in the quality of life between those in Kangnam and Kangbuk. This gap is only increasing day by day.

"Public children's playgrounds number 16 in the Songbuk district and 21 in Dongdaemun district, but they number 90 in Seocho district. There is a great gap between the districts of Seoul."

The representative further revealed: "While Joong-lhang district has only 134 hospital facilities for the sick, Kangnam district has 20 times the number and boasts 2,925 medical facilities."

City Management Commission member Rep. Park Kyeom-Su said concerning the National Social Welfare System: "If the current funding scheme of 50-25-25 by government-city-district is applied, the district that has less funding capability but greater number of recipients will have greater funding responsibility than such districts as Kangnam."

Rep. Park suggested, "In order to meet with such an imbalance, a sliding rule provision in consideration of funding capability of the districts must be formulated, and the districts with greater funding responsibility must be given support."

Mayor Koh calls for 70% of city budget for Kangbuk:

"For a more balanced development of districts both north and south of the river, the city budget has been allocated at 7-to-3 for greater support of the northern districts," Seoul Mayor Koh Gun said. "In order to revise the tax scheme, which has led to an imbalance in district investments, the city is looking into certain changes in the existing comprehensive property tax and the new cigarette tax."