Assemblyman Heo Seongmoo Selected as Democratic Party's "Outstanding Lawmaker for National Assembly Audits" for Second Consecutive Year

Heo Seong-moo, a member of the National Assembly's Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee representing Seongsan District in Changwon, was awarded the '2025 Democratic Party of Korea Outstanding Lawmaker Award for National Assembly Audits' on December 15, marking his selection as an outstanding lawmaker for the second consecutive year.

Assemblyman Heo Seong-moo's Budget and Accounts Committee Inquiry. Photo by Heo Seong-moo

The Democratic Party of Korea selects outstanding lawmakers for National Assembly audits each year based on a variety of criteria, including audit activity reports, media coverage, multi-faceted evaluations, attendance records, and policy publications.

During this year's National Assembly audit, Assemblyman Heo focused his inquiries on key issues for balanced regional development and the industrial advancement of Changwon's Seongsan District, including: the neglect of the domestic market by GM Korea; the designation of the Changwon National Industrial Complex as a 'National Advanced Strategic Defense Cluster'; the Goseong Opportunity Development Zone and controversy over SK Oceanplant's alleged abandonment; expansion of refund guarantee (RG) budgets for mid-sized shipbuilders; the concentration of regional innovation fund investments in the Seoul metropolitan area; and measures to address industrial accidents in national industrial complexes.

In addition, he highlighted and called for institutional improvements on issues such as Kakao Mobility's monopoly in the chauffeur service market, illegal compensation practices at Kangwon Land, misuse of policy funds for small business owners, the outflow of Korean talent, and the potential damage to small and medium-sized enterprises due to reduced budgets for overseas patent dispute responses.

Assemblyman Heo also published two policy reports: 'MASGA Project and Strategic Responses of the Korean Shipbuilding Industry' and 'The Need for Hydrogen Military Equipment and Weapons System Development and Strategies for Establishing a Korean-Style Defense Industry Cluster Centered on Changwon.' In these reports, he proposed the 'K-Ship 2035' strategy to counter the United States' maritime dominance strategy and outlined modernization plans for the defense industry based on hydrogen technology. These policy achievements contributed to his selection as an outstanding lawmaker for National Assembly audits for two consecutive years.

His activities during the National Assembly audit have been recognized for their in-depth understanding of local issues and for raising policy questions that encompass the nation's entire industrial policy. He has received high praise for linking on-site problems to institutional reforms and policy alternatives.

Assemblyman Heo stated, "I believe this award is not a personal achievement, but the result of faithfully conveying the voices of Changwon and the industrial field to the National Assembly," adding, "I will continue to do my utmost to promote balanced regional development, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and develop policies that can be truly felt by small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners."