BUSAN — Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok said his party must win at least a few more parliamentary seats in Busan, where it currently holds none of the city's 18 districts.
"Rather than feeling discouraged, our task is to produce at least a few more Democratic Party lawmakers to make the vision we have built with Busan citizens a success," Kim said.
Kim visited Busan on the 16th to mark the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Busan-Masan ("Buma") Democratic Uprising, a pro-democracy revolt against the Park Chung-hee dictatorship. Speaking to reporters after touring the Busan Port Authority, he said the city's major development projects since democratization — the Gadeok New Airport, the North Port redevelopment, the maritime capital initiative, the opening of Arctic shipping routes and a new domed stadium — were all proposed by the Democratic Party and presidents or leaders from its ranks, and pursued together with Busan residents.
"We expect Busan citizens to take considerable interest and respond, out of practical necessity for the city's development," he said. "We will steadily make the various efforts that are needed."
On enshrining the spirit of the Buma Democratic Uprising in the constitution's preamble, Kim called on the People Power Party to join the effort. "Including the spirit of the Buma Uprising and the May 18 Gwangju movement in the constitutional preamble is a minimal, common-sense demand and necessity for the public," he said. "The People Power Party has no reason at all to oppose it and has itself publicly said it is necessary, so wouldn't it be good to announce active agreement on this 47th anniversary?"
Asked about a plan to merge the country's four major port authorities, Kim said the question should be judged by what best serves Busan Port itself. "There is the perspective of merging the port authorities, but we also have to look at it from the standpoint of what is best for preserving Busan Port's own identity, character and direction of development," he said. "Whatever direction the merger takes, it will be reviewed in a way that preserves the distinct character and expertise that Busan, Ulsan, Yeosu-Gwangyang and Incheon have each built up."
Kim is scheduled to visit the Jagalchi Market on the 17th to hear residents' views before touring the planned site of a domed arena at North Port. On the 18th, he will hold a meeting with heads of Busan's district and county governments.