Handonghun: "When the Magnolia Blooms in Spring, Gimpo Could Become Part of Seoul"

Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, said on the 3rd, "When spring comes and magnolias bloom, Gimpo could become part of Seoul," adding, "If fellow citizens want it, I and the People Power Party will make it happen."

On the same day, Chairman Han made these remarks while attending a citizens' rally held by the Gimpo Geomdan Citizens' Solidarity at Laveniche Square in Janggi-dong, Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, to welcome the mediation proposal for Line 5 and the GTX-D route plan and to urge early opening.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Chairman Han said, "Yesterday, I chose the magnolia as the illustration for the New Year's card from the People Power Party to the people," explaining, "Because we are earnestly waiting for spring to come." The 'spring' he referred to appears to signify the April 10 general election.

He emphasized, "Gyeonggi Province has become too large. Therefore, Gyeonggi Province cannot carefully take care of the lives of its residents," adding, "Both the People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea know that things cannot continue as they are." He continued, "Until I became the Emergency Response Committee Chairman, the People Power Party advocated for the incorporation of Gimpo and other areas into Seoul, while the Democratic Party pushed for the division of Gyeonggi Province, making it seem as if the two were mutually exclusive," pointing out, "If such a confrontational structure continues, both sides will attack each other, and ultimately, neither will be realized."

He then said, "Now, the People Power Party and I have changed our approach. We will do as the fellow citizens of Gyeonggi want," adding, "We will actively pursue both incorporation into Seoul and division of Gyeonggi Province, respecting the wishes of the residents concerned."

Chairman Han stated, "Gyeonggi Province is so vast that each region inevitably has different desires," noting, "What Gimpo citizens want will differ from what Dongducheon and Uijeongbu citizens want." He said, "We will actively pursue both because only then can success and realization be achieved," and added, "Only then can Gimpo become part of Seoul as its citizens wish."

Following his visit to Guri the previous day, Chairman Han visited Gimpo on the 3rd, cities adjacent to Seoul in Gyeonggi Province where demands for 'incorporation into Seoul' have emerged consecutively.

On the 31st of last month, he announced in Suwon that he would simultaneously promote the incorporation of some parts of Gyeonggi into Seoul and the division of Gyeonggi Province into north and south. Rather than simply continuing the 'Mega City' plan initiated during former Chairman Kim Ki-hyun's tenure, he envisions fundamentally reorganizing the living areas of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province by concurrently discussing the establishment of a special autonomous province in northern Gyeonggi. A task force (TF) within the party has also been established for this purpose.

At Laveniche Square, where Chairman Han visited on the day, about 2,000 supporters, YouTubers, and citizens gathered. Supporters held placards with phrases such as "Fellow Citizen Han Dong-hoon" and "Together We Make the Way." Chairman Han responded to handshakes and selfie requests from supporters, received letters from children, and took photos with them. To avoid any potential violations of election laws, his speech was delivered without a microphone.

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