Anchor: The ruling People Power Party has launched a special committee to pursue its ambitious so-called “Mega Seoul” project incorporating cities around the metropolitan area into Seoul, starting with Gimpo. The main opposition Democratic Party, however, contends that the extension of Seoul Subway Line Five should come first and other cities should be prioritized over Seoul to achieve balanced regional development.
Max Lee reports.

Report: In a bid to address the congestion on the roads and subways connecting Gimpo and Seoul, the ruling People Power Party(PPP) is pushing to incorporate the satellite city into the capital.

The plan is part of the party’s “Mega Seoul” vision, with a special committee launched on Thursday to discuss the highly debated proposal under the leadership of five-term lawmaker Cho Kyoung-tae, who holds a civil engineering doctorate with expertise in urban design.

Gimpo, which is currently a part of Gyeonggi Province, is home to approximately 490-thousand residents over 276-point-six square kilometers and is directly adjacent to western Seoul’s Gangseo District.

Talk of Gimpo’s incorporation into the capital has arisen as the Gyeonggi provincial government is considering dividing the province into two due to its growing population.

Amid such discussions, the Gimpo municipal government had expressed a preference for becoming a part of Seoul rather than being subjected to a potential division of the province.

However, the move has been largely opposed by the main opposition Democratic Party(DP), which sees the “Mega Seoul” initiative as an attempt by the PPP to bolster voter support ahead of the general elections next year.

The DP also argues that in order to fully resolve congestion issues between Gimpo and Seoul, the government must first expand Seoul Subway Line Five before pushing for the incorporation of Gimpo.

It also added that the concept of “mega cities” should start with the likes of Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province or the Jeolla region ahead of Seoul to achieve regional development.

The process to make the PPP’s initiative possible, however, involves several steps, starting with approval in a vote by Gimpo residents before the National Assembly enacts a special law to make it official.
Max Lee, KBS World Radio News.