South Korea’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) has initiated a special committee to explore the proposal of integrating Gimpo, a neighboring city, into the capital, Seoul. This move forms part of the PPP’s “Mega Seoul” initiative. However, it faces opposition from the Democratic Party (DP), which criticized the move as the PPP’s tactic to gain voter support before April’s general elections. The discussion follows Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon’s proposal in September to split the province into two owing to its escalating population.

Gimpo, which spans 106.8 square miles, houses around 490,000 people and South Korea’s former international airport, has shown an inclination toward joining Seoul over Gyeonggi Province’s potential division. The integration would enlarge Seoul’s area by roughly 45%.