Oh Se-hoon 'Cautious Approach'... Gimpo City Courts 'Incorporation Plan'
Ruling Party "Discussion Begins on Mega Seoul Scope, etc."
As the incorporation of Gimpo City in Gyeonggi Province into Seoul emerges as a political issue, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Gimpo Mayor Kim Byung-soo will discuss the Gimpo incorporation plan during their meeting on the afternoon of the 6th.
Earlier, Mayor Oh emphasized a "cautious approach" regarding Gimpo's incorporation into Seoul. At a press briefing on the "2024 Seoul City Budget" on the 1st, Mayor Oh stated, "As cities are created, develop, and expand, the phenomenon of urban agglomeration where boundaries with surrounding cities connect is an important issue to address through administrative system reorganization." However, he added, "Since this is a controversial period, I am well aware of the concerns," expressing a cautious stance.
As the plan to incorporate Gimpo City into Seoul becomes a hot issue, a banner welcoming the incorporation into Seoul is hung on a street in Gimpo City, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of the 5th. Photo by Yonhap News
On the other hand, Mayor Kim is expected to officially propose the Gimpo incorporation plan at this meeting. Mayor Kim has highlighted the strengths of the Gimpo incorporation plan, such as the "Seoul Port" and "Border Area Inter-Korean Projects," while actively courting by stating that it can expand and develop Mayor Oh’s long-cherished project, the "Han River Renaissance."
While the two local government heads show differing stances on the "Gimpo Seoul incorporation," the ruling party launched the "Special Committee for Improving the Convenience of Capital Region Residents (tentative name)" on the 2nd and began concrete discussions on the "Mega City Seoul" concept.
On the 6th, Cho Kyung-tae, chairman of the special committee and a member of the People Power Party, said on KBS Radio's "Choi Kang Sisa" that regarding the scope of "Mega City Seoul," including the possibility of incorporating cities such as Guri, Hanam, Goyang, Bucheon, and Gwangmyeong besides Gimpo, "Our special committee is being formed starting today to establish criteria," and "We will listen to many urban experts and other specialists."
He continued, "We need to seriously consider whether Seoul, by incorporating only Gimpo, can stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s major cities as one of the top five or at least top ten global cities." He added, "I hope this opportunity will serve as a good chance to transition from Korea’s inefficient administrative system to a more efficient one."
Cho also mentioned that discussions on local mega cities outside Seoul will be promoted. He said, "I believe Seoul’s competitiveness can greatly contribute to national interests, and appropriate strategies need to be formulated from now on."
He further stated, "To prevent the extinction of local areas and to enhance the competitiveness of local cities, like advanced countries, we should also lead efforts to develop local cities into mega cities, such as turning Busan and Gwangju into mega cities. This will greatly contribute to the development of our country."
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