The text is a transcript of a lecture by Professor Jin Hee-seon of Yonsei University on the topic of expanding Seoul's urban space by incorporating Gimpo city. The lecture covers the following points:
- The history of Seoul's growth and development from the Joseon dynasty to the present day, and how it became overcrowded and overpopulated.
- The advantages and disadvantages of creating a mega city by merging Seoul and Gimpo, and how it would affect the urban competitiveness, quality of life, transportation, environment, security, and economy of both cities.
- The comparison of Seoul with other mega cities in the world, such as New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Beijing, and how they have different strategies and challenges for urban planning and management.
- The need for a long-term vision and a national consensus on the issues of expanding Seoul's urban space and achieving balanced development of the national territory, and how they cannot be solved by political rhetoric or short-term measures.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The population of Seoul is approximately 9.4 million.
2. The city of Seoul was founded 600 years ago.
3. The development of Gangnam started in 1970.
4. The population of Seoul increased explosively in the 1960s, with a growth rate of 60,000 people per year.
5. The boundaries of Seoul were almost decided in 1963.
6. The city of Seoul is currently facing a housing shortage, with almost no available land for development.
7. The population density of Seoul is very high, with 10 million people living in a small area.
8. The Han River limits the usable area of Seoul.
9. The city of Gimpo has a population of 500,000 and a usable area of 276 pyeong.
10. The incorporation of Gimpo into Seoul would increase the city's usable area by 1.45 times.
11. The concept of a "mega city" refers to a city with more than 10 million residents in a single living area.
12. Examples of mega cities include Tokyo, New York, and London.
13. The Grand Paris Metropol is a union of autonomous cities formed in 2016 to administer the city in conjunction with surrounding areas.
14. The Jingjinji integration strategy is a plan to integrate Beijing and Tianqing into a single metropolitan area.
15. The concept of decentralization refers to the transfer of authority from the central government to local governments.
16. Local governments in South Korea have limited powers and are not allowed to impose obligations on citizens.
17. The previous government made efforts to solve the problem of the disappearance of local regions and the imbalance and polarization of the national territory.
18. The Roh Moo-hyun government created a multi-functional administrative city in Sejong and built innovative cities in 15 locations for balanced national development.
19. The Moon Jae-in administration implemented policies to solve the problem of polarization in the metropolitan area and make it more multipolar.
20. The Democratic Party pledged to create a 5-pole, 3-special, ultra-wide area mega seat during the last general election process.