'Return from China' Kim Dong-yeon: "Gimpo City's Incorporation into Seoul Is Neither Policy Nor a Public Deception"

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon is holding a press conference after arriving at Gimpo Airport around 3 p.m. on the 3rd.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon recently criticized the claim for Gimpo City's incorporation into Seoul, calling it "not a policy but truly bad politics," and said, "When looking at the map connecting Gimpo and Seoul, I wonder if there is a city shaped like this in the world; it is a mutated gerrymandering."

At a press conference held at Gimpo Airport on the 3rd after returning from a business trip to China, Governor Kim said, "The claim for Gimpo City's incorporation into Seoul is, in short, an expansion of Seoul and a killing of local governments," and lamented, "There is no consideration for the country's future; it stems solely from the idea of viewing Gimpo citizens only as votes."

He continued, "It is truly bad politics and not a policy," adding, "It will become a global laughingstock and, since it is almost impossible to implement, it will be a nationwide scam."

In particular, he pointed out, "On the very day the People Power Party set the incorporation of Gimpo City into Seoul as its party stance and even formed a special committee, President Yoon Seok-yeol attended an event in Daejeon for Local Autonomy and Regional Balanced Development Day, advocating for the era of local governments," adding, "It is nothing short of a comedy."

Furthermore, he questioned, "Why is President Yoon Seok-yeol, who advocates for the era of local governments, silent?" and claimed, "If he continues to remain silent, it will appear as if President Yoon's pledges and the government's policies were a nationwide scam."

Regarding the Democratic Party, Governor Kim said, "Based on the party constitution and the philosophy and policy direction since President Kim Dae-jung, I believe the Democratic Party naturally opposes Seoul's expansion," and urged, "If even the Democratic Party calculates votes or political gains and losses, it would not be true to the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party must walk the right path."

On the promotion of the Special Autonomous Province of Northern Gyeonggi, which he is pursuing, Governor Kim explained, "Successive governments have consistently promoted balanced national development and local decentralization, and the core of this is how to address the excessive concentration in Seoul," adding, "Gyeonggi Province is promoting the Special Autonomous Province of Northern Gyeonggi as part of balanced national development."

He also emphasized, "Gimpo is truly an attractive city in Gyeonggi Province, connecting rural areas, urban centers, advanced industries, maritime, and inland regions," and said, "Whether our attractive Gimpo City remains in the Special Autonomous Province of Northern Gyeonggi or stays in Gyeonggi Province, we have not included it in the vision to give Gyeonggi residents the choice. However, the three special laws submitted to the National Assembly include Gimpo City."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.