Guri Mayor Gu Sang-moo Vows Uninterrupted GH Relocation Amid Seoul Incorporation Debate

Guri Mayor Gu Sang-moo has announced that the relocation of the Gyeonggi Housing & Urban Development Corporation (GH) will proceed without disruption, directly addressing criticism from People Power Party councilors concerning the city's suspended bid to incorporate into Seoul. Mayor Gu revealed his plans during a press briefing on Tuesday.

Following a meeting with Gyeonggi Province and GH officials, Mayor Gu stated that GH President Kim Yong-jin confirmed the corporation's commitment to resuming the relocation. "With the uncertainties removed, we will proceed with the already decided relocation without a hitch," Kim reportedly said. The plan involves finalizing temporary office contracts and design services within this year, with the aim of moving the main office in the first half of next year.

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With the uncertainties removed, we will proceed with the already decided relocation without a hitch.

Mayor Gu stressed the certainty of the GH relocation, though he noted that the final decision rests with the Gyeonggi provincial governor. The city has proposed the Guri Distribution Complex as a potential temporary office site, with GH to determine the final location. The GH relocation was initially confirmed in a 2021 public tender and progressed through agreements and administrative changes. However, the process was halted in February 2025 when Gyeonggi Province deemed the two projects incompatible after former Mayor Baek Kyung-hyun officially announced the Seoul incorporation bid in November 2023.

Following his election, Mayor Gu withdrew the Seoul incorporation bid. This move drew criticism from People Power Party councilors Lee Kyung-hee, Jang Hyang-sook, and Yeon Joo-hyun, who argued that the decision lacked public consultation and proper financial analysis compared to the GH relocation's estimated 8 billion won in tax revenue. Mayor Gu countered that the former mayor's sudden push for Seoul incorporation without public consensus was a greater issue. He cited a 2021 survey where 87.2% of citizens supported the GH relocation, contrasting it with a 2024 survey conducted after the incorporation bid began, which presented a choice between Seoul incorporation and the creation of a special province in northern Gyeonggi. The mayor asserted that his election victory, with over 53,000 votes, represented the most direct and official expression of the citizens' will.

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The former mayor's sudden push for Seoul incorporation without public consensus was a greater issue.