๐ฐ๐ท Gongju is a city in South Chungcheong province, South Korea.
In 2004, the South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan announced that the country's capital will be moved from Seoul to Gongju (approximately 120ย km or 75ย mi south of Seoul) and Yeongi commencing in 2007. A 72.91ย kmยฒ (18,020 acres) site was chosen for the project, which was scheduled to be completed by 2030. It was envisaged that government and administrative functions will move to the new capital, along with (possibly) the National Assembly and supreme court, although no sizeable relocation was expected until the first phase of the project has been completed by 2012.
The move was intended to reduce Seoul's overcrowding and economic dominance over the rest of South Korea; perhaps not coincidentally, it would have also moved the government and administration out of range of North Korean artillery fire.
The projected cost of the project ranged from $45bn to as much as $94bn.
The plan has aroused controversy, with opposition parties calling for a referendum to see whether it is endorsed by the population. Some civic groups have also launched a constitutional appeal, and on October 21, 2004, the Constitutional Court ruled that the special law for the relocation of the capital is unconstitutional since the relocation is a serious national matter requiring national referendum or revision of the constitution, thus effectively ending the dispute. Opinion polls showed that a slight majority of South Koreans are opposed to the move, both before and after the ruling.
However, late in 2004, the government announced yet another plan that will allow Seoul to be a capital in name only by retaining the Executive Branch, all Legislature Branch, and Judiciary Branch in Seoul, while moving all other branches of government to Gongju. The question remains unresolved to date.
1Gongju has a population of over 116,870 people. Gongju also forms part of the wider South Chungcheong Province which has a population of over 2,059,871 people.
To set up a UBI Lab for Gongju see: https://www.ubilabnetwork.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UBILabNetwork
Twin Towns, Sister Cities Gongju has links with:
๐บ๐ธ Anniston, USA ๐ต๐ญ Baguio, Philippines ๐บ๐ธ Berkeley, USA ๐ฏ๐ต Moriyama, Japan ๐ฏ๐ต Nagomi, Japan ๐ฆ๐ฟ Qabala, Azerbaijan ๐จ๐ณ Shenyang, China ๐ฏ๐ต Yamaguchi, Japan๐ฎ๐ท Qaem Shahr 36.45
๐บ๐ธ Roanoke Rapids 36.45
๐ช๐ธ San Fernando 36.466
๐ช๐ธ Medina-Sidonia 36.467
๐ช๐ธ Chiclana de la Frontera 36.417
๐บ๐ธ Rogersville 36.417
๐ฐ๐ท Seongnam-si 127.138
Locations Near: Gongju 127.117,36.45
๐ฐ๐ท Sejong City 127.282,36.487 d: 15.3
๐ฐ๐ท Buyeo 126.94,36.3 d: 23
๐ฐ๐ท Yuseong 127.356,36.362 d: 23.5
๐ฐ๐ท Nonsan 127.099,36.187 d: 29.3
๐ฐ๐ท Daejon 127.385,36.351 d: 26.4
๐ฐ๐ท Daejeon 127.385,36.351 d: 26.4
๐ฐ๐ท Jung 127.417,36.317 d: 30.7
๐ฐ๐ท Dong 127.43,36.33 d: 31
๐ฐ๐ท Asan 127.011,36.786 d: 38.6
๐ฐ๐ท Yesan County 126.845,36.679 d: 35.2
Antipodal to: Gongju -52.883,-36.45
๐บ๐พ Maldonado -54.95,-34.9 d: 19761
๐บ๐พ Ciudad de la Costa -55.95,-34.817 d: 19683.7
๐บ๐พ Montevideo -56.198,-34.907 d: 19670
๐ฆ๐ท Mar del Tuyรบ -56.667,-36.533 d: 19676.7
๐บ๐พ Canelones -56.284,-34.538 d: 19640.9
๐ฆ๐ท Pinamar -56.85,-37.1 d: 19654.5
๐บ๐พ Florida -56.215,-34.099 d: 19615.4
๐ง๐ท Rio Grande -52.099,-32.041 d: 19519.6