Rep. Song’s Clout

Three-term legislator of the ruling GNP named to chairman of the Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs Committee

Rep. Song Kwang-ho of the ruling Grand National Party, has been named to chair the National Assembly Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Committee, the National Assembly announced recently.
Rep. Song from Chechon-Danyang district in North Chungcheong Province, is a three-term legislator. He served as chairman of the Ethics Committee in the 16th National Assembly and currently is a member of the GNP Central Party Election Planning Committee as well as a member of the Highest Council of the GNP.
The Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Committee is made up of 31 members with the ruling GNP legislators holding 18 seats and 13 seats held by opposition members led by Democratic Party legislators.
Rep. Song, upon his appointment as the committee chairman, said he will steer the committee to work for the people during the second half of the current legislative term.
To do that, the committee will try to protect the property rights of the people so that their assets will not be infringed upon when the government draws up large construction and new town projects from now on.
For example, the committee will do its best to see that the government will do their work objectively in such areas as buying private property for public projects including private land for building highways, and in providing replacement land for those who have to vacate their land or houses for the sake of public projects.
Second, he said, Korea does not have enough flat land and now must consider water preservation along with residential space for people.
Third, Song added, Korea must change the method for viability studies as the developed areas get higher grades, while underdeveloped areas receive lower scores in the surveys hinging upon the progress of the projects. The situation needs to consider the underdeveloped areas especially so that they won’t be discriminated in the studies.
Lastly, the new committee head said, Korea must find new growth engines in the 21st century. nw

Rep. Song Kwang-ho, chairman of the Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, delivers a speech at a meeting.