Similarities and Differences Between Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, and Yoo Dong-gyun, Former Mayor of Mapo-gu?

Evaluated as a remarkable figure from Gochang, Jeonbuk, who overcame a very difficult childhood to be elected district mayor... In the rematch between Mayor Park and former Mayor Yoo during the 7th and 8th local elections, the record stands at '1 win 1 loss'... Despite different parties, their goal seems to be the same: advancing Mapo-gu

Oath Ceremony of Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo District

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo District, and Yoo Dong-gyun, former Mayor of Mapo District, are people who share many similarities.

In the 7th local election, former Mayor Yoo defeated Mayor Park, but in the 8th local election held on June 1, Mayor Park defeated former Mayor Yoo, creating a 1:1 record between them.

Both are notable for being from Gochang, Jeonbuk.

Mayor Park was born in 1959, and former Mayor Yoo in 1962, making Park three years older.

However, both had similarly difficult childhoods. Mayor Park lost his mother at age 13 and moved to Seoul, living like an orphan, yet he is recognized as a self-made local politician who rose to prominence.

In particular, Mayor Park took the lead in relocating the Danginri Thermal Power Plant and actively engaged in Mapo area activities, eventually becoming mayor.

At age 29, Mayor Park founded a media company and served as chairman of S Focus, building connections with political figures, overcoming the preliminary election for the People Power Party’s Mapo mayoral candidate, and showing the strength to become the eldest figure among the so-called ‘Mayongseong’ (Mapo, Yongsan, Seongdong districts) as Mapo mayor.

Mayor Park ran as the candidate for the Liberty Korea Party, the predecessor of the People Power Party, in the 7th local election but lost to former Mayor Yoo in the election held the day after the Trump-Kim Jong-un Singapore summit. This time, he avenged that defeat. Moreover, while the Democratic Party mayors were elected for the 5th, 6th, and 7th terms, governing Mapo for 12 years, Mayor Park from the People Power Party was elected in the 7th term.

On the 1st, Mayor Park, who pledged to be a ‘steward’ for Mapo, was inaugurated, and on the 5th, about 3,000 residents, including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, attended the inauguration ceremony at the district office, creating a huge crowd.

Mayor Park is busy receiving work reports and actively working to fulfill the 8th term pledges such as creating the Nanji Complex Cultural Tourism Complex and operating the Han River ‘Mapo Circular Train Bus.’

On the other hand, former Mayor Yoo dropped out of school in the first year of middle school due to his father’s business failure, worked in a factory while studying at night, passed the qualification exam for middle and high school courses, and completed studies at Korea National Open University and Yonsei University Graduate School of Public Administration during his tenure as Mapo mayor.

Despite these hardships, he served as a two-term Mapo district council member and Seoul city council member, and especially after serving as chief of staff for National Assemblyman Jeong Cheong-rae of Mapo-eul, he was elected Mapo mayor as a Democratic Party candidate four years ago, serving the community through projects like planting 5 million trees.

Yoo Dong-gyun, former mayor of Mapo District

However, in the June 1 local election, he narrowly lost to Mayor Park by 1.9%. Notably, former Mayor Yoo was highly regarded for treating district office staff with respect, never speaking harshly during his four years in office, but faced a difficult election following the presidential election defeat.

Since the 7th, former Mayor Yoo has been actively working in the National Assembly and local affairs, supported by Assemblyman Jeong Cheong-rae, who offered him a Grade 4 aide position.

Former Mayor Yoo is grateful to Assemblyman Jeong for entrusting him with a role to serve the community regardless of rank.

It is known that Assemblyman Jeong is currently campaigning vigorously as a candidate for the highest committee member in the Democratic Party’s national convention. In a phone interview on the 17th, former Mayor Yoo said, "Before becoming mayor, I served as Assemblyman Jeong Cheong-rae’s chief of staff for eight years," and added, "I am working hard to make Assemblyman Jeong the number one highest committee member in this Democratic Party national convention."

Both Mayor Park and former Mayor Yoo seem to share the same commitment to working for regional development.