LOOPHOLES IN INNOVATION CITY

[Anchor Lead]

It has been 5 years since a number of government agencies relocated to the Innovation City in Chungcheongbukdo Province. But still many workers commute back and forth from capital Seoul using free shuttle rides. With not many workers settling down in the province, proper commercial towns are not being formed, causing a vicious cycle. But the real problem is that the cost of operating these shuttle bus rides costs over 2 billion won every year.

[Pkg]

It's early morning and people arrive at work. At the rear gate of this public agency in Chungcheongbukdo Province.. workers get off shuttle buses, lined in a row.

[Soundbite] REPORTER : "Where are you coming from?"

[Soundbite] PASSENGER : "Seoul."

[Soundbite] REPORTER : "Are you commuting from Seoul?"

[Soundbite] PASSENGER : "Please don't film."

36 such buses operate daily in this provincial innovative city. Most of them travel back and forth from Seoul and metropolitan areas.

[Soundbite] REPORTER : "Where are you coming from?"

[Soundbite] BUS DRIVER : "Cheonho-dong in Seoul."

[Soundbite] REPORTER : "Do many people take this bus."

[Soundbite] BUS DRIVER : "About 40."

Around 690 employees working at ten public agencies in this city use the service. In some corporations, over 30% of the workers travel back to the capital after the day's work. The bus fare is shouldered by the agencies as part of their annual budget. KBS confirmed the expense amounts to over 2 billion won each year. The number of employees who are moving to and settling in the provincial city where they work is not increasing. According to the transport ministry, at 41%, Chungcheongbukdo Province had the highest percentage of traveling commuters out of the ten similar innovative cities nationwide. The province also had the lowest percentage of workers settling down at 38. Some employees say their commute is inevitable because residential conditions are not sufficient here.

[Soundbite] (PUBLIC AGENCY EMPLOYEE, CHUNGCHEONGBUK-DO PROV. (VOICE MODIFIED)) : "We have little choice. Residential conditions are completely nonexistent. It's really serious."

These administrative cities in the provinces turn into ghost towns after their working population leaves in the evening. This unsettling situation continues meaning taxpayers' money goes to waste.