Why Choi Ho-kwon, Yeongdeungpo District Mayor's Leadership Shone Amid Heavy Rain and Crisis

Mayor Choi demonstrated disaster response capabilities by directly leading recovery efforts, including responding to an apartment fire in Mullae-dong on the 19th of last month and working overnight emergency shifts during heavy rain since the 8th; praised for personally embodying the belief of being the "last line of defense protecting public safety" and encouraging staff.

Choi Ho-gwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo District, is making a distressed expression while inspecting the flooded factories around Mullae-dong 4-ga.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Since his inauguration, Choi Ho-kwon, the mayor of Yeongdeungpo District, has been receiving positive evaluations from residents for his exemplary leadership and stable crisis management on-site, despite difficulties such as power and water outages in local apartment complexes and heavy rainfalls.

On the 19th of last month, a fire broke out in the basement machine room of an apartment in Mullae-dong, damaging the electrical distribution panel and water pipes, resulting in 222 households and 529 displaced residents. Mayor Choi took command on-site and responded appropriately.

◆‘Leading by Example’ with On-Site Command During Basement Machine Room Fire Incident Shortly After Taking Office and Heavy Rainfall

On the day of the fire, Mayor Choi visited the site during the day, urging a thorough cause analysis. He then visited the site four times over two days?in the evening of the same day, the next morning, and afternoon?after recognizing the power and water outages. He personally carried bottled water for the displaced residents and contacted organizations such as Korea Electric Power Corporation and Yeongdeungpo Fire Station to encourage restoration efforts.

Mayor Choi was also praised for his hands-on response to the heavy rainfall in Yeongdeungpo District, which recorded 395mm of rain.

The district experienced up to 110mm of concentrated rainfall per hour, causing roads to flood and damaging homes and vehicles, resulting in significant damage.

Starting from August 8, when the heavy rain was most intense, Mayor Choi began emergency duty at the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. He stayed overnight with staff, visited damage sites to comfort residents, and began providing necessary support.

At the sites visited at dawn, the scars left by the floodwaters were clearly visible. Semi-basement homes were still filled with water that had not yet been pumped out, and alleys began accumulating debris caused by the heavy rain.

From August 9, when the rainfall subsided, accommodations for displaced residents were arranged, and full-scale recovery efforts commenced. Mayor Choi prioritized reallocating water pumps from unaffected areas to affected zones, concentrating district government resources on recovery.

To expedite recovery, the district mobilized all available personnel, deploying 3,321 public officials, approximately 1,200 volunteers, 977 military personnel, and 175 private contractors by the 16th, completing the collection of about 1,120 tons of flood debris.

Mayor Choi actively participated in cleanup efforts and requested neighboring autonomous districts to provide additional equipment. In response, Gangseo District immediately supplied 43 water pumps and nine 2.5-ton garbage trucks. Support also followed from the Seoul Regional Military Manpower Administration and the districts of Mapo, Yangcheon, Gwangjin, Jungnang, and Eunpyeong.

While directing swift recovery on-site, Mayor Choi also drew attention by proposing various measures for flood damage recovery and prevention at the Seoul Mayors’ Council meeting held on August 17.

At the meeting, he emphasized the importance of administrative and financial support for rapid return to normalcy and proposed the declaration of a ‘special disaster area’ for the affected regions.

He also pointed out that the current flood compensation of 2 million won is insufficient, urging the government, including the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, to establish practical measures for flood damage compensation and support for small manufacturers in Mullae-dong.

Additionally, he proposed national and city government funding for the restoration of Anyangcheon and Dorimcheon streams and suggested designating additional ‘Moa Towns’ as flood prevention measures for low-lying areas prone to frequent flooding.

He stressed the need for fundamental measures against urban flooding, highlighting the importance of rainwater inlets, expanding drainage pipe capacity, and discussing examples such as large rainwater tunnels.

Choi Ho-gwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo District Office, is visiting flood victims to offer comfort.

◆“Public Officials Are the Last Line of Defense for Public Safety” ? Demonstrating ‘Warm Leadership’ by Leading On-Site and Encouraging Hardworking Staff

Mayor Choi’s actions are regarded as stemming from his firm belief that ‘public officials are the last line of defense for public safety.’ He considers protecting the lives and property of district residents against disasters as the most fundamental duty of local governments. We look forward to the next steps of Yeongdeungpo District’s administration, which remains faithful to the basics in the 8th elected term.

In particular, Mayor Choi has been applauded for showing ‘warm leadership’ by encouraging Yeongdeungpo District Office staff who have been working hard amid ongoing difficulties.

A senior official at Yeongdeungpo District Office said, “Mayor Choi is usually quiet and does not raise his voice, but when residents face difficulties, he immediately rushes to the site and actively leads the response, demonstrating ‘definite leadership.’ At the same time, he never forgets to show a ‘warm side’ by caring for the staff who work hard for the residents.”