[Interview] Owen Seok Oh, Dobong District Mayor: "Relocation of Chemical Unit, Hosting Kukkiwon... Leap to a Cultural Tourism and Economic City"

Over 100,000 Signatures Collected in Kukkiwon Hosting Nationwide Campaign
Hanok Village Development and Youth Hostel Construction Also Underway
Core of Changdong Area Development Is Transportation... Extension of SRT Changdong Station Line Planned

"Changdong is changing. The dream of Dobong's heyday is now becoming a reality."

There is a reason behind the confidence of Oh Eon-seok, the Mayor of Dobong-gu, Seoul. Since his inauguration, he has resolved long-standing resident demands that had been stalled. Through hands-on administration, he achieved the underground construction of the Metropolitan Area Express Train (GTX)-C line in Dobong-gu, the relaxation of altitude restrictions in Bukhansan, the increase of floor area ratio in semi-industrial areas, and the groundbreaking of Seoul Arena.

In an interview, Mayor Oh said, "There was one resolution I made from the beginning of my term: to diligently run around the field. Whenever I hit a wall with pending issues, I challenged myself without losing this initial determination. I will continue to do so."

Recently, he has been focusing on the 'Development of the Dobong-dong Chemical Unit Relocation Site.' His plan is to attract the Kukkiwon to the Dobong-dong Chemical Unit relocation site and make Dobong-gu a genuine cultural tourism and economic city. Mayor Oh stated, "Attracting Kukkiwon alone will not revive the local economy. We will also promote the creation of a Hanok village and the construction of a youth hostel to lead sustainable growth."

To expedite the attraction of Kukkiwon, a signature campaign involving all residents has been underway since last month. Mayor Oh said, "Residents have high expectations for the development of the Dobong-dong Chemical Unit relocation site. Nearby residents have suffered for over 30 years from exposure to various chemicals, odors, and noise. Now, regional development through attracting Kukkiwon must be realized. We will do our best to build related infrastructure so that the 250,000 annual visitors to Kukkiwon can visit, eat, stay, and tour here."

As of 10 a.m. on the 19th, the number of signatures for attracting Kukkiwon reached 118,491, surpassing the target of 100,000. Mayor Oh said, "We will put all our efforts into attracting Kukkiwon together with the residents."

Regarding unresolved issues such as construction costs, he promised unwavering progress, saying, "We will resolve them through sufficient dialogue and cooperation with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the relevant department."

He also said he would accelerate regional development centered on Changdong. Large-scale development projects are underway in Changdong, including the groundbreaking of Seoul Arena on the 2nd of last month. Mayor Oh introduced, "Projects that will change the economic map of the northeastern region centered on Dobong-gu are getting on track. These include the Changdong Station complex transfer center, which will serve as a transportation hub; the Changdong complex private investment station combining transportation and culture to revitalize the city; and a complex distribution center where commercial, business, cultural, and residential facilities will be integrated." He added, "Changdong will now shed its outdated image and establish itself as a new model for urban redevelopment."

He also revealed plans to expand transportation infrastructure for the development of the Changdong area. Mayor Oh said, "We are promoting the extension of the SRT (Suseo High-Speed Train) to Changdong Station. The SRT station platform must be at least 200 meters long according to regulations, and the GTX-C line has been planned at 205 meters considering this. All requirements have already been met. We will do our best until the extension of SRT Changdong Station is finalized."

Mayor Oh Eon-seok said, "A 'Dobong Policy Survey' was conducted with 1,029 residents, and 96.7% of them responded that they are satisfied with the core project directions of the 8th elected administration. High satisfaction was shown across various fields. This appears to be the result of the long-stalled projects showing tangible outcomes and residents' long-standing demands being resolved one by one." He added, "The mayor's office is a place to work for the residents. We will continue to implement policies that residents can genuinely feel and experience. We will not be complacent with past achievements and will continue to work hard for the remaining two years of the term as we have done so far."