Candidate Choi: "End the 12-Year Dominance of Former Politician Mayors from the Democratic Party and Replace with an Experienced Administrative Expert for New Change and Leap in Yeongdeungpo"
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Choi Ho-kwon, the preliminary candidate for Yeongdeungpo District Mayor from the People Power Party, announced on the 13th that he will put an end to the 12-year era of stagnant development under the Democratic Party's dominant politicians as Yeongdeungpo District Mayor. In this era of great transformation, including the 4th Industrial Revolution and the undergrounding of the Gyeongbu Line railway, he aims to open a new era of change, development, and a "new leap forward for Yeongdeungpo" in the shortest possible time.
Candidate Choi emphasized, "Local autonomy has become overly politicized," and stated, "True local autonomy should not be a political stage for party confrontations but a pure form of administrative self-governance that solely considers the residents."
To this end, he proposed the belief that, just as companies operate under professional management systems, professional administrators must take the lead for genuine local autonomy.
Having extensive administrative experience and a broad personal network through his work in Seoul City, central government ministries, the Blue House, consulates general, and Yeongdeungpo District, he asserts that he is a powerful administrative expert best suited to properly resolve Yeongdeungpo’s pressing issues and realize true local self-governance, leading the new leap forward for Yeongdeungpo.
As a political newcomer, Choi entered public service through the administrative examination and has a 30-year career as a career bureaucrat, having served as Director of the Culture and Public Relations Office at Yeongdeungpo District Office, Policy Secretary to the Mayor of Seoul, Administrative Officer at the Blue House, Planning and Management Officer at the National Science and Technology Council, Consul General at the Embassy in India, and Exhibition Research Director at the National Gwacheon Science Museum.
Most notably, after retiring from public office last year, he attracted attention as a "Caregiver District Mayor Candidate" by obtaining a caregiver certification to properly understand and support the pain of elderly dementia patients and their sole caregivers in this aging society.
His 30-year public service career is also noteworthy. Candidate Choi is evaluated as possessing the qualities of an honest, frugal, and rational local official who has consistently practiced integrity, diligence, and prioritizes communication and empathy?listening carefully and showing understanding and consideration during policy decisions?under the principle of "being honest and upright to the people with a humble attitude."
He is the author of the book "Choi Ho-kwon, The Dream of Local Autonomy."
Choi’s core pledges for "A New Yeongdeungpo in the Era of Transformation" include: ▲ Creating a high-quality, high-class luxury residential town ▲ Relocating the Military Manpower Administration and creating Menakgol Park with forests ▲ Restoring Daebangcheon natural ecological stream ▲ Attracting an international school (or foreign school) on the Yeouido LH site ▲ Building the Seoul Municipal Science Museum (4th Industrial Revolution Experience Center) ▲ Attracting future-oriented youth job linkage facilities such as a youth startup center ▲ Establishing an academy town around Sinpung Station in Singil-dong ▲ Adding Sinyugo Station on the Mokdong Line light rail ▲ Building a public health center in Singil-dong ▲ Making Yeongdeungpo a good place to raise children.
Candidate Choi diagnosed that "local residents have a strong desire to change Yeongdeungpo." As evidence, he said that after his honorable retirement last year, he visited various parts of the district to understand current issues and listen to public opinion, meeting many residents. A clear example is that when looking from Sindorim Station toward the underdeveloped Yeongdeungpo side and Guro side, anyone can clearly feel the stark development gap between the two areas after 30 years of local autonomy.
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