• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.651-666
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• 2013

The objective of this study is to introduce the characteristics and establishing process of national regional policy for the sunbelt developmentr initiative of the southern coastal area in Korea. Discussion on the development of southern coastal area of Korea with some members of the Korea Society of Future Studies began in the early 1990s, and its discussion was continued with the activities by the Committee on Regional Unity of the Grand National Party and Namhaean Forum. The sunbelt development initiative was selected as one of the major commitments of the Grand National Party in the 17th presidential election of Korea. Since the launching of the Lee Myung-bak government, the Presidential Committee on Balanced National Development made a comprehensive plan for sunbelt development of southern coastal area(CPSD), and this plan was confirmed by central governmental planning in May 2010. CPSD is meaningful in terms of the fir first national regional planning and legal plan in Korea. The target year of CPSD is 2020, and some projects by CPSD started in 2010. However, there are many negative views that CPSD will not be going too well. Therefore, new efforts and roles of geographers who participated in the process of planning of CPSD are required for the success of CPSD.