Lee Jun-seok Targets Han Dong-hoon, "Mega Seoul Policy Will Increase Tax Burden on Seoul Citizens"

"Cannot Proceed Without Seoul Citizens' Consent"
"Proposal to Conduct Referendum as a Precondition"

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform New Party, targeted Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, on the 5th, stating, "The 'Mega Seoul' policy, which is Seoul's expansion policy, must not be pursued under any circumstances without the consent procedure of Seoul citizens."

On the same day, Lee held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office and said, "With Chairman Han's simultaneous promotion of Mega Seoul and the division of Northern Gyeonggi Province, the policy itself has reached a contradiction." He added, "It is very inappropriate for the ruling party to irresponsibly push forward the work, only targeting the votes of Gyeonggi residents who actually benefit."

Earlier, Chairman Han visited Gimpo on the 3rd and said, "When spring comes and magnolias bloom, Gimpo could become part of Seoul," supporting the simultaneous promotion of incorporating Gimpo City into Seoul and the division of Gyeonggi Province. Chairman Han's plan is to fundamentally reorganize the living areas of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province by concurrently discussing the establishment of a mega city and a special autonomous Northern Gyeonggi Province.

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform New Party, is speaking at the welcoming ceremony for the first recruited talent of Korea's Hope held at the National Assembly Communication Hall on the 30th. From the left, Lee Chang-han, former vice chairman of the Semiconductor Association, Lee Jun-seok, and Yang Hyang-ja, leader of Korea's Hope. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Lee said, "Regarding Chairman Han's rushed proposal to merge Mega Seoul and the division of Northern Gyeonggi Province, which has made the metropolitan area elections chaotic, if it is not a hasty pledge, he should boldly express his intention to confirm the will of Seoul citizens through a referendum." He argued, "The Reform New Party believes that in the Seoul expansion policy, the opinions of the beneficiary regions are as important as the opinions of Seoul citizens who must bear the infrastructure costs due to Seoul's expansion."

He added, "The expansion of Seoul means that projects that previously had a high ratio of national funding, such as the expansion of metropolitan transportation networks, will be changed to Seoul city projects, inevitably increasing the tax burden on Seoul citizens." For example, he said, "If Gimpo is incorporated into Seoul, a considerable amount of tax will be spent just to install public bicycle racks for the Seoul citizens’ bike-sharing system, Ttareungi, throughout Gimpo City."

Lee emphasized, "If the scope of Seoul is expanded and the local taxes of Seoul citizens must be heavily invested outside Seoul, the process of asking the opinions of Seoul citizens, who are taxpayers and stakeholders, must not be omitted." He added, "If Chairman Han seriously advocates for the incorporation of basic local governments in Gyeonggi Province into Seoul, I propose that a referendum be held as a prerequisite to ask the will of Seoul residents."