Jung Won-oh, chief of Seoul's Seongdong District, signaled his intention to run for Seoul mayor on Wednesday, saying he would make a decision "after next week when the district council finalizes next year's budget and business plans."
Jung, who has emerged as a leading ruling party candidate after receiving public praise from President Lee Jae-myung, said, "What President Lee and I have in common is that we are both known as 'il-jaller' (people who get things done)." He added, "Positive 'user reviews' about me as a district chief have spread."
At a press conference for his book "Seongsu-dong: How Cities Become Beloved" held at a cultural complex in Seongdong District, Jung officially launched his public campaign. "The next Seoul mayor should be someone who makes taxpayers feel their money is well spent—someone who improves quality of life," he said. "Another pillar should be creating a Seoul that drives national competitiveness."
Jung attributed his rise as a mayoral candidate to prioritizing what residents want. "Satisfaction levels increased dramatically, and once they crossed a tipping point, word spread," he explained. "I believe it's possible to create a second and third Seongsu in other districts of Seoul, but you have to carefully observe each neighborhood's context and history and translate that into policy."
For Seoul's development, Jung said "the 25 districts need a structure where they can compete." He noted, "Currently, there are large gaps in fiscal capacity between districts, and some district chiefs can't do what they want because budgets don't support it. We need to address fiscal distribution and tax issues so all 25 districts can compete with guaranteed financial resources."
When President Lee posted public praise on social media, some analysts suggested the president's endorsement was directed at Jung. "President Lee has praised my successful policies whenever we've met. I think his comments were an extension of that," Jung said, adding it was "a routine statement the head of the executive branch can make."
Addressing concerns that redevelopment projects would be delayed under a Democratic Party mayor, Jung expressed confidence: "I won't give anyone reason to say that." He explained, "If we divide the stages of redevelopment projects and let districts handle procedures currently done at the city level, the pace will accelerate significantly."
Jung also expressed appreciation for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, saying he was "quite grateful that Mayor Oh opposed martial law and stated his position on impeachment." Regarding the Han River bus service, Jung said, "I can't just say 'I don't know' because a previous mayor started it. To minimize losses, we need to partially convert it for tourism operations."
Meanwhile, Park Joo-min, a Democratic Party lawmaker and another ruling party Seoul mayoral candidate, will hold his campaign launch at Gwanghwamun Plaza on Thursday with tattoo artists, young people, and other citizens. Park is expected to announce his vision to redesign Seoul as "a special city of affordable minimums for basic needs and a special city of maximum opportunities for potential growth."
