Joeunhee Announces Candidacy for Seoul Mayor... "Even Roh Moo-hyun Started at 1% Approval"

"Providing 650,000 Quality Housing Units Within 5 Years"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Jo Eun-hee, Mayor of Seocho District, officially announced her candidacy for Seoul mayor on the 3rd, saying, "I am clearly a political newcomer. My confident declaration of candidacy is a sign that our party has changed."

On the same day afternoon, at the 'Forum for a Better World' (Mapo Forum) led by former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Moo-sung, Mayor Jo said, "In the 2001 presidential election, candidate Roh Moo-hyun started with a 1% approval rating, and Mayor Lee Myung-bak of Seoul started at 3%. Compared to them, my polling trend is quite good," adding, "Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, who is mentioned as a presidential contender from the ruling party, also comes from a basic local government chief background like me."

Mayor Jo stated, "Compared to current presidential candidates such as Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, and former Liberty Korea Party leader Na Kyung-won, my recognition is low," but she pointed out, "However, we should not calculate politically. Whoever is highly recognized and rides in a palanquin will easily win again this time."

Mayor Jo emphasized, "We have suffered four consecutive defeats: the 2016 general election, the 2017 presidential election, the 2018 local elections, and this year's general election. The primary process must be fierce and exciting," adding, "If not, we could face a fifth consecutive defeat. We must break the existing frame for our party to win."

Mayor Jo said, "Due to the shameful sexual misconduct of Democratic Party mayors, 83 billion won of taxpayers' money is wasted on elections in Seoul and Busan," and stated, "This election is a silent outcry. Young people who have to live repaying debts for life because of housing prices, citizens who have to work until death because of taxes, citizens searching for rooms in the cold wind amid the jeonse crisis?this tearful outcry forms a huge roar to judge the arrogant and incompetent government and ruling party."

Mayor Jo criticized, "Today's real estate disaster is a defective joint product created by the government's incompetence trapped in ideology and the twisted ambition of presidential hopefuls who have been watching the regime," adding, "They approach housing issues ideologically. They dismiss the humble dream of owning one house as speculation and impose punitive tax bombs even on single-homeowners with properties under 900 million won. 'My thoughts are right, follow what I give.' This is arrogance and excessive interventionism."

Mayor Jo pledged ▲Good New Towns ▲100,000 homes for youth homeownership, saying, "We will supply 650,000 quality homes within five years. We will double the annual housing supply that the previous mayor blocked."