Guri City Councilor Kwon Bongsu Announces Bid for Mayor of Guri
"An Overwhelming Victory Is Needed to Root Out the December 3 Rebellion Forces"
"I Will Lead a Landslide Victory in the Local Elections as a Candidate Without Flaws"
"I Will Be a Mayor Who Values Direction Over Speed in Municipal Administration"
Kwon Bongsu, a Guri city councilor from the Democratic Party of Korea, has officially declared his candidacy for mayor of Guri.
Kwon Bongsu, Guri City Councilor, is holding a press conference in the Guri City Council briefing room on the 25th. Photo by Kwon Bongsu, Guri City Councilor.
On the 25th, Guri city councilor Kwon Bongsu held a press conference in the briefing room of the Guri City Council and threw his hat into the ring for the Guri mayoral race, pledging to become “a true citizens’ mayor, a strong mayor who will change Guri, and a mayor who will lead the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration,” and adding that he would “be a mayor who values direction over speed in municipal administration.”
Assemblyman Kwon assessed that “in Guri today, because of the city government’s disregard for the council, its dogmatic administration, and citizen participation that has been thoroughly objectified, there is no place for citizens in city governance.” He pointed out that “an ill-advised cycle has continued in which reckless development pledges and attempts to erase the achievements of the previous mayor have amplified citizens’ disappointment and cynicism,” and that “the city has fallen into a structure of ‘weak administration,’ where the mayor runs out ahead alone, public officials stand by as spectators, and citizens’ opinions are marginalized.” He went on to say, “No development pledge, and no charismatic ability of an outstanding leader, can break free from this chain of ‘weak administration.’”
Regarding the upcoming election, he also stated, “In order to root out the December 3 rebellion forces, an overwhelming victory by the Democratic Party of Korea is necessary in this local election,” and added, “For an overwhelming victory, we need a candidate who can embrace all party members in Guri and a candidate without any flaws.”
Kwon further argued that what Guri needs now is precisely someone like himself: “a citizens’ mayor” who treats citizens as partners in city governance; “a strong mayor who will change Guri” by empowering public officials to act through rational decision-making based on citizen consensus and thereby creating “strong administration”; and “a mayor who will lead the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration” by uniting the party through broad appeal that can embrace all party members and by being a person without blemish who can secure an overwhelming victory.
Emphasizing that these are promises he is making to all Guri citizens, Guri city councilor Kwon Bongsu presented six key goals for city governance: a city of strong administration that upholds citizens’ opinions; a city that makes you look forward to your commute home; a city that prepares for generational transition; a city that attracts people; a people-centered transportation city; and a proactive welfare city that reaches out to residents.
For each of the six goals, he laid out detailed policy tasks. To realize “a city of strong administration that upholds citizens’ opinions,” he pledged to hold unscripted, raw-form citizen-participation town hall meetings in rotation by neighborhood once he has finished familiarizing himself with municipal work; to organize evening-time conversations directly with citizens at the three stations on Line 8 and at Galmae Station during the 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. commuting hours; to fully introduce confirmation hearings in the city council; to introduce a Guri-style citizen participation platform; to hold regular municipal briefings that provide feedback; and to fully open all meetings presided over by the mayor.
Next, to create “a city that makes you look forward to your commute home,” he proposed activating administrative, cultural, and welfare services during the 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. commuting hours and supporting Guri-style clubs of five people.
Third, stating that he would build “a city that prepares for generational transition,” he proposed designing the Topyeong 2 District as a life-cycle incubator specialized for young people and newlyweds, and he pledged, for the future of the Galmae Station area housing site development district, to ensure that GTX-B stops at Galmae Station, to draw up a roadmap for living SOC (social overhead capital) before residents move in, and to secure spaces for offices, knowledge-based industries, and startups.
Next, to create “a city that attracts people,” he proposed promoting a new urban MICE strategy to build a small- and medium-sized convention center; inheriting and developing the canola flower and cosmos festivals into rock festivals and K-pop festivals; and developing tourism products that link Donggureung, Achasan, and the Han River into destinations that residents across the Seoul metropolitan area will enjoy visiting.
To build “a people-centered transportation city,” he pledged to push for extending Line 6 to include transfer stations at Gyomun Sageori Station and Donggureung Station; to completely reorganize village bus routes to suit the subway era; to introduce low-floor village buses and electric buses across the board during his term; and to expand basic living infrastructure such as heating facilities at bus stops and regular maintenance of sunshades.
Finally, to transform Guri into “a proactive welfare city that reaches out to residents,” he said he would introduce curricula for First Step Parent School and Couples School, roll out a mobile youth sex education and counseling bus, and establish hubs for active seniors by utilizing vacant properties in the old downtown area.
Kwon declared that while the “real Republic of Korea” began last year, the “real Guri” is only beginning now, and he appealed for support, pledging to move forward together with citizens to change the destiny of the city.
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