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| 2023-11-07 15:25:10
PPP-megacity
PPP launches special committee to transform Seoul into megacity
SEOUL, Nov. 7 (Yonhap) -- The ruling People Power Party (PPP) launched a special committee Tuesday to oversee its plan of merging the satellite city of Gimpo with Seoul and vowed to make "feasible progress" by the end of the year.
The PPP's "special committee on the new city project" is the party's first step in its plan to increase the size of Seoul into a megacity, by incorporating the northwestern city of Gimpo and possibly other adjacent areas.
A megacity is a very large city, normally with a population of over 10 million.
The contentious plan has been criticized by the main opposition Democratic Party and the mayor of Incheon, a city neighboring Gimpo, as a campaign strategy for the upcoming general elections. The PPP, however, has argued the plan is intended to promote balanced growth between different regions.
"We will speed up (the progress) by December, whether in the form of a special or a regular bill," said Rep. Cho Kyoung-tae, the committee's chief, adding that its members are mulling whether to include other cities in the plan.
To attain the goal, Cho said the committee will meet with relevant ministries and experts, and make visits to cities that have expressed a desire to become part of Seoul to gather residents' opinions.
Cho also expressed hope the envisioned project could trigger other cities, such as the southwestern city of Gwangju and the southeastern port city of Busan, to transform into megacities by merging with neighboring areas.
"Japan is a successful model as Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya were able to become very powerful after becoming megacities," he said. "We plan to nurture Seoul into one of the world's top five international cities and pave the way for other metropolitan areas to grow into self-sufficient cities."
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