Jo Kyung-tae: "Opposing Mega City is an Act of Treason"

Yeo New City Special Committee Holds Seminar at Central Party Headquarters
Leadership Including Kim Ki-hyun, Yoon Jae-ok, and Lee Man-hee Fully Mobilized

On the 28th, Jo Kyung-tae, chairman of the New City Project Special Committee of the People Power Party, emphasized the importance of fostering a mega city, stating, "I believe that opposing the mega city is an act of betrayal to the country."

Chairman Jo attended the seminar titled "Crisis in the Republic of Korea, New City is the Answer" held at the People Power Party's central office that morning, and said, "Please pay close attention to the mega city, which is the only solution to create good jobs, foster good companies, and thereby overcome the birthrate cliff once again in Korea."

He also compared the mega city to the Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement). Chairman Jo said, "The mega city initiative launched by Representative Kim Ki-hyun is not just a Seoul issue but reminds us of a second Saemaul Undong that addresses the nationwide low birthrate problem and revitalizes our Republic of Korea."

At the 'Crisis in Korea, New City is the Answer!' seminar hosted by the New City Project Special Committee held on the 28th at the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, attendees including Representative Kim Ki-hyun and Special Committee Chairman Cho Kyung-tae are applauding. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

At the seminar, the party leadership, from Representative Kim to Floor Leader Yoon Jae-ok and Secretary-General Lee Man-hee, all gathered to emphasize the necessity of the mega city. Representative Kim pointed out, "(Some argue that) the incorporation of Gimpo into Seoul is merely a matter of redrawing boundaries within the same metropolitan area, not an issue of metropolitan overexpansion. Are cities around Gyeonggi Province and Seoul not part of the metropolitan area?" He called such criticism "incomprehensible."

He also directly refuted criticisms that the incorporation of Gimpo into Seoul is a strategy for next year's general election. Representative Kim said, "Some people are shortsighted and call it election populism, but those who paralyze the government and abuse impeachment as an election strategy should reflect on themselves."

Floor Leader Yoon Jae-ok highlighted the 'bottom-up decision-making' of the New City Project at the seminar. He explained, "In the past, the relocation of the administrative capital was led and promoted by the political sphere, and administrative district integration was tried centered on Changwon. The New City Project is being promoted in a completely different way, where residents' opinions to alleviate daily inconveniences are naturally conveyed upward and accepted." He added, "This method seems much more desirable and is the direction we should take going forward."

Meanwhile, citizens from areas proposed for incorporation into Seoul, such as Gimpo and Guri, attended the seminar to appeal for the importance of the mega city. Kim Kyung-mi, chairwoman of the Gimpo Seoul Incorporation Citizens' Coalition, argued, "Some worry that incorporating Gimpo into Seoul would hinder balanced national development, but rather than Seoul expanding unbalancedly southward as it does now, it would be more beneficial for balanced development to unite many cities east, west, south, and north through the New City Project, firmly establishing the capital at the center of Korea and expanding exchanges with local regions."

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