[Interview] Cho Deokho, New Democratic Asan Mayoral Candidate: "A Practical Administrator Is Needed"

"Administration in Chaos Due to Academic and Regional Factions, Not a Proper System"

Jo Deokho, the preliminary candidate of the New Future Democratic Party running in the upcoming Asan mayoral by-election on April 2, emphasized, "The biggest problem in Asan is the mayor," and added, "Voters should choose the mayor based on the individual, not the political party."

In an interview with Asia Economy on the 17th, Jo pointed out, "Out of the five people who have served as Asan mayor over the past 30 years, three left office in disgrace," and diagnosed, "Administration has repeatedly fallen into chaos as it has been run based on academic and regional ties rather than a proper system."

He stressed, "The confrontation between the two major parties has affected local politics, making cooperation difficult," and added, "The mayor must maintain neutrality and act as a mediator and balancer."

Regarding the Gongju~Cheonan expressway issue, he said, "While I agree on the necessity of road construction, Asan should not just be a city that is passed through, but one that gains real benefits," and added, "I will work with Cheonan City and South Chungcheong Province to come up with realistic alternatives."

On the hiring corruption allegations regarding the CEO of the Asan Cultural Foundation, he stated, "It is not right to reject someone simply because they are from outside the region," and added, "We need to objectively review their qualifications."

Regarding this election, he said, "The mayor should be someone who can run a practical administration, not someone focused on ideology or party," and added, "I will conduct a policy-centered campaign, not a negative one."

The following is a Q&A with candidate Jo.

- Asan City has declared 2025~2026 as the 'Visit Asan Year.' The city plans to seek ways to promote tourism, focusing on the Sinjeongho Local Garden, which will open this April. What are your plans regarding this?

▲ Although Sinjeongho has been selected as the first local garden in South Chungcheong Province, simply creating a space is not enough to vitalize tourism; developing differentiated content is essential. To ensure a steady influx of visitors, we should attract cultural events such as international song festivals and add high-quality cultural facilities to make it a place people want to visit.

In particular, we can consider hosting song festivals or vocal music competitions that foreigners can also participate in, connecting them to Korean culture. I will focus on developing cultural content to maintain the site’s ongoing competitiveness as a tourist destination.

- There is ongoing conflict between regions over the Gongju~Cheonan expressway route. Asan opposes the route because it passes through the new city, while Cheonan argues for its necessity. What is your plan to resolve this conflict?

▲ Although former mayor Park Kyunggui strongly opposed this issue, we should not simply reject it but consider ways for Asan to gain real benefits. The current route passes through the new city, yet Asan does not gain any significant economic benefit, which is the problem. We need to come up with realistic alternatives, such as installing interchanges (IC) connected to the existing road network.

Also, I will consult with the province and Cheonan City to ensure Asan is not just a transit area but can benefit the local economy through expanded transportation networks.

- Amid the vacancy in the mayor's office and confusion in the city council, stabilizing city administration has become an important task. What plans do you have for stable administration?

▲ The biggest problem in Asan is the mayor. In the past 30 years, five mayors have run the city, but three of them left office in disgrace. Administration should not be run by the mayor alone, but by a system. However, due to personnel appointments based on academic and regional ties and political conflicts, the administration has not functioned properly. The mayor should be chosen based on the individual, not the party. Only when the mayor operates from a neutral standpoint and manages administration in a balanced way can city governance be stabilized.

- During Park Kyunggui's tenure as mayor, lack of communication with the council and unilateral decision-making became controversial. If elected, how will you strengthen cooperation and communication?

▲ Even as mayor, I must respect city council members. They are also elected officials representing the citizens. The mayor's position is not one of greater power, but one that requires more concession and coordination.

Communication with citizens is also important. While I will listen to public opinion in the field during the campaign, I will also establish a system for continuous direct communication with citizens after being elected.

The mayoral position is not one of power, but one of service to the citizens. Administration should not be run by the mayor alone, but through cooperation with public servants and by presenting a vision.

- There were allegations raised during the hiring process for the CEO of the Asan Cultural Foundation. What is your stance and plan if elected?

▲ The issue of local artists being marginalized must be addressed. It is concerning that opportunities for local artists have decreased as the Asan Cultural Foundation has recruited outsiders. While attracting external experts is necessary, there must be a balance for the development of local culture and arts.

If the hired individual truly lacks qualifications, they should step down, but they should not be rejected simply for being from outside the region. I will objectively review qualifications and apply fair standards.

- What is the significance of this election and your campaign strategy?

▲ This election is an opportunity to overcome the limitations of the two-party system. Asan citizens have already experienced the adverse effects of two-party politics. Ideology-centered politics inevitably hinders regional development. The Asan mayor should be someone who can implement practical administration, beyond conservative or progressive lines.

Now is the time to move away from political power. The mayor should be chosen based on the individual, not the party. My campaign strategy is to focus on policy-centered campaigning and realize participatory politics together with citizens. Rather than a negative campaign, I will approach voters through policies directly related to citizens’ daily lives.