Lee Sang-il, mayor-elect of Yongin, set a new milestone by becoming the city's first re-elected mayor since its founding, after winning a second term in the 9th nationwide local elections held Wednesday. Lee expressed gratitude for citizens' trust and pledged to open "Yongin Renaissance Season 2," building on the city's leap toward becoming a semiconductor hub and ensuring continuity in city administration.
In an acceptance statement released early Thursday morning, Lee said, "I sincerely thank the citizens for once again entrusting me with Yongin's future." He added, "This victory is not my personal victory but a great victory for the citizens who hope for Yongin's development."
Lee paid particular tribute to the citizens whose choice made him the first-ever re-elected mayor of Yongin.
He defined the election as "an election in which citizens evaluated the achievements of city administration over the past four years." He continued, "The massive power of the ruling party made all-out efforts to take Yongin, and negative attacks continued in the final stages of the election, but the strategy of trusting only the citizens and breaking through together with them proved effective."
He also expressed gratitude, saying, "The citizens judged who knows Yongin best and who can take responsibility for Yongin's future."
Lee particularly interpreted the fostering of the semiconductor industry, which he is pursuing as Yongin's future growth strategy, as the core meaning of this election. "The citizens' will to protect the semiconductor industry, which is South Korea's future growth engine, and the Yongin semiconductor cluster is reflected in the election results," he said. "I will accept this as the citizens' command to push forward the Yongin semiconductor project without wavering and pioneer the future."
He also said, "The greatest strength of a re-elected mayor bridging the 8th and 9th popularly elected administrations is continuity of city administration," adding, "Yongin is leaping forward as South Korea's semiconductor-centered city and as the central city of the world's largest semiconductor cluster, and is forging ahead toward becoming a metropolitan city of 1.5 million."
He pledged, "I will open 'Yongin Renaissance Season 2' together with the citizens," promising, "I will push forward without interruption not only the semiconductor project but also policies in transportation, education, culture and welfare, to create even greater changes and achievements that citizens can feel."
Lee also offered consolation to the candidates who competed in the election, saying, "I believe we all share the same love for Yongin," and asking them to "continue gathering strength and wisdom for Yongin's development."
He added, "Yongin is a leading city opening up South Korea's future. Based on citizens' interest, participation, advice and rebuke, I will create a more developed Yongin and a more livable Yongin."
