"I Won't Accept a Single Donation" O Gyuseok's Political Revolution, Declaration for General Election... Political Donations as a Form of 'Transaction'

Busan Gijang County Mayor, "Led County Administration for 6 Years Without Business Promotion Expenses"

Oh Gyuseok, Mayor of Gijang County, Busan.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] “I will not accept a single penny in donations!”

Oh Gyuseok, the mayor of Busan’s Gijang County, has declared his independent candidacy for the next general election.

Without accepting a single political donation, he announced on the 23rd his “declaration of candidacy” that pledges to change ‘Gijang’ and completely transform the National Assembly and the Republic of Korea with new politics, promising ‘innovation.’

Mayor Oh dismissed rumors about running for next year’s Busan Superintendent of Education and Busan Mayor elections.

“I have no intention of running in any election other than the general election; these are manipulations aimed at creating an image of me lurking around,” he clearly drew the line.

Known by the nickname ‘Dokkudai,’ often used to mean someone who stands alone against groups or is as brave as a special forces soldier, he is an indispensable figure who has now declared his political ambitions after his term as a local government head.

Mayor Oh defined the upcoming parliamentary election in about two years as an election that requires ‘hot blood.’

“Right now, what Korea needs is not old or young blood, but boiling, hot blood. We need passionate young men! The fastest way to change the world is only through politics. I want to change Gijang by changing the National Assembly and completely transform Korea.”

This is Mayor Oh’s ‘declaration of candidacy.’

Mayor Oh is a Korean medicine doctor. During his time as president of the student council at Dongguk University, a phrase left by a professor at the College of Korean Medicine has remained as his motto. He said he has been living by it.

“A small doctor (小醫) cures individual illnesses, a medium doctor (中醫) cures social illnesses, and a great doctor (大醫) cures the nation’s illnesses.”

Mayor Oh said, “As a Korean medicine doctor, I have treated individual illnesses, and as a mayor, I have treated social illnesses. Going forward, I want to become a great doctor who cures the nation’s illnesses by following my professor’s teachings and the will and call of the people of Gijang.”

He also said, “With the determination to bury my bones in my hometown Gijang, where my mother buried my placenta, I want to give dreams and hope to the people, including the 2030 generation, and make the world ‘fiery.’”

Mayor Oh has led Gijang’s county administration for six years without using any official expense funds. He paid for congratulatory and condolence expenses out of his own pocket, rarely held dinners, and when necessary, personally covered the costs by ‘going Dutch,’ earning a reputation as a ‘stingy person’ at first glance.

Emphasizing a spirit of integrity and incorruptibility, he declared that he would practice clean politics by not accepting a single political donation.

Mayor Oh raised his voice, saying, “The moment a politician accepts donations, a ‘deal’ begins. I will be the first not to engage in this authorized ‘thief’ deal.”

Whether Oh Gyuseok’s ‘political revolution,’ which refuses any donations and uses only self-raised funds while working tirelessly on foot to win public support, will succeed is drawing attention.