Ahn Kwang-ho, the Rebuilding Korea Party's first external recruit, has entered the race for Yeongjong district chief, putting financial welfare at the center of his campaign. The move marks an unusual approach for a local government election, placing the elimination of financial blind spots at the forefront.
Ahn announced his "Financial Welfare Innovation Pledge" on Wednesday, pointing out that about 300,000 people, or 10% of Incheon's total population, have been excluded from financial services due to credit issues. He characterized this not as a problem to be blamed on individuals but as a structural gap created by the credit evaluation system.
His first pledge aims to reduce the number of financially excluded residents in Yeongjong district to "zero" during his term. Through the already operational Financial Welfare Support Center, he plans to offer debt restructuring, credit rating management, and customized programs for vulnerable groups. Administrative costs will be minimized by not establishing a separate organization.
The second pledge focuses on securing funding channels for small business owners. In partnership with the Incheon Credit Guarantee Foundation, he plans to supply 10 billion won in guarantees annually. Ahn explained that given the 10-fold guarantee multiplier structure, the actual budget required is around 1 billion won, and considering the typical 1-3% subrogation rate, the fiscal burden is not significant.
He also preemptively addressed expected criticism. Ahn stressed that when a single business closes, the resulting losses in jobs, household income, and tax revenue can reach hundreds of millions of won, arguing that guarantee support is not an expenditure but an investment that prevents losses in advance. To avoid indiscriminate distribution of funds, a three-stage filter of startup consultation, management diagnosis, and guarantee review will be applied.
"I will make Yeongjong the nation's first 'zero financial exclusion zone,'" Ahn said. "As the Rebuilding Korea Party's first recruit, I will present a new model for financial welfare in local self-government."
