Dongdaemun-gu Mayor Lee Pil-hyung Visits Dungjigoshiwon on the 9th, Meets with Seniors, Shares Impressions on Facebook, Drawing Attention
Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun District (second from the left), visited the communal dormitory on the 9th ahead of the Chuseok holiday to listen to the difficulties faced by single residents.
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, was not well known until he ran for mayor in the 8th local election.
He grew up in Dongdaemun-gu, where his parents lived and ran a business their entire lives, attending elementary, middle, and high school as well as Korea University all in this area. Nevertheless, his recognition was low because he had not lived as a politician or a regular public official.
However, Mayor Lee’s career is impressive. After graduating from Korea University, he joined the National Intelligence Service and was recognized for his abilities to the extent that he served as the head of the political department. He also worked as an administrator in the Blue House’s Office of Civil Affairs and served in the Presidential Transition Committee.
With such a background, Mayor Lee is being evaluated as successfully transforming and settling into his role as mayor.
This is because Mayor Lee challenged the mayoral position with a fundamental attitude of working together with the community. Right after being elected as mayor in the 8th local election, he said in an interview with reporters, “Although I have lived my entire life in Dongdaemun-gu, attending elementary, middle, high school, and university here, before running for mayor, I walked around the district five times, and during the election, I walked four more times.”
This is something that cannot be done without great passion and determination. As a result of such efforts, it can be said that the groundwork was laid for a candidate from the People Power Party to win the mayoral election in a region where Democratic Party mayors served for 12 years during the 5th, 6th, and 7th local elections, and where two incumbent members of the National Assembly are also from the Democratic Party.
On the 9th, two days ago, Mayor Lee attracted attention by posting a piece titled “About Living in the World” on his Facebook. He had been mayor of Dongdaemun-gu for 69 days. Now, residents know him well enough. However, he confessed that when he meets residents on the street, feelings of warmth and shyness mix.
He added that breaking the awkwardness is done with a warm word?a kind greeting, he confessed. He said he once entered a boarding house for the homeless on a whim. About 50 single-person households were living there, paying 280,000 to 300,000 won per month. When he introduced himself as the Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, they welcomed him warmly. He shared the atmosphere. He saw one person heading to the hospital due to illness, and another worried about hospital bills, saying “work is exhausting.”
However, he lamented that there is no other way but to listen sincerely. He expressed regret that Dongdaemun-gu has no clear policies for single-person households.
He then recalled Jacob Riis, who asked, “How does half the world live?” Riis is remembered for improving housing conditions for the poor in the United States in the 1870s.
At a time when single-person households have become a trend, he also reflected on Article 34 of the Constitution, which states, “All citizens shall have the right to a humane life.”
He concluded by hoping that no one is left behind and that everyone can dream of the future.
Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, Mayor Lee appears to have taken the opportunity to visit the less fortunate himself and plan policies for single-person households.
Mayor Lee is also an author of four books, including a Baekdudaegan mountain range expedition journal and a Himalaya travelogue. Because of this, his writing is neat and clear.
This seems to be Mayor Lee’s style. However, he appears to be a mayor with an endlessly warm heart.
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