[Local Election Interview] Kwon Chilseung Pledges to Attract an "SMR Demonstration Complex"... "I Will Show Politics That Provides Answers"

Highlighting Strengths from Broad Experience in the Provincial Council, Legislature, and Administration
"I Will Create 'Less Tired People of Gyeonggi'"
"On Gyeonggi's Power Supply Issue, Politics Must Face It Honestly"

In an interview with The Asia Business Daily held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 25th, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kwon Chilseung, who is running for governor of Gyeonggi Province, said, regarding his candidacy, "Among the prospective candidates within the Democratic Party, I have the highest level of understanding when it comes to Gyeonggi Province." Kwon participated in state affairs as Minister of SMEs and Startups, has been elected three times as a lawmaker for the Hwaseong-si Byeong district in Gyeonggi Province, and also has experience as a member of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council. He said, "I live in Gyeonggi and commute to Seoul, and I have served as a member of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council and as chair of its Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, so I know how the province is run. My experience spanning legislation and administration, the central government and local government, will help me perform the duties of governor."

Kwon Chilseung, a Democratic Party lawmaker running for governor of Gyeonggi Province in the June 3 local elections, is being interviewed on the 25th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

As he prepared for the gubernatorial election, Kwon unveiled his strategy for the industrial ecosystem across Gyeonggi Province. As his growth strategy, he proposed "fostering ventures and startups that can create a virtuous cycle of technological innovation" and "solutions to the power supply problem." Kwon said, "Gyeonggi Province is home to almost all of the world's most advanced industries except shipbuilding, but we need to see the emergence of new technologies and companies so that a virtuous cycle can be created to support the existing ecosystem," adding, "Small companies must be able to build businesses based on their ideas."

He also put forward a bold pledge to attract a small modular reactor (SMR) demonstration complex. Kwon said, "The weak point of Gyeonggi Province's industrial ecosystem is the power supply issue," warning, "This problem will increasingly hold us back." Explaining that Gyeonggi's electricity self-sufficiency rate is around 60%, he argued that the SMR demonstration complex should be brought to Gyeonggi Province. "If we want advanced industries but respond to power generation facilities with a NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) attitude, sustainability is impossible," he said. In other words, if the province wants semiconductor plants and similar facilities, it must present answers on the energy issue. He added, "On issues like this, politics must face them honestly and responsibly," and "During the campaign period, I will work to persuade people and coordinate interests on this matter."

In Kwon's office, there is an old-school, analog-style panel. It is a status board that organizes the implementation of his pledges, bills in progress, budget execution status, and timelines or progress on key pending issues. It appeared to be filled in by hand by multiple people, from the lawmaker himself to his aides, with various different handwriting styles visible. Kwon said, "It is good because by looking at it constantly, I don't forget and can keep track of things," adding, "Other lawmakers say they will use it as a reference and take pictures of it."

Pledge implementation status board set up in the office of Kwon Chilseung of the Democratic Party of Korea

The following is a Q&A.

-What does the catchphrase "Less Tired People of Gyeonggi" mean?

▲The word "tired" carries a comprehensive meaning. The idea is to reduce the fatigue people feel in many aspects of daily life, such as emergency room placement, access to hospitals, commuting, and care systems. I plan to newly use the expression "People of Gyeonggi" instead of "Residents of Gyeonggi Province" this time.

-Your pledge of "Completing the commute with just one transfer" - how can that be achieved in concrete terms?

▲A direct commute would be ideal, but it is difficult in reality. We will build mega transfer centers at key locations, and of course expand the road and rail networks in parallel. This is also linked to the housing issue: we should move away from large-scale housing site development in areas without transportation networks. Homes should be built in places with good transportation, and I am considering attracting residential areas and medical facilities above ground-level rail lines. This would have the effect of converting ground-level rail into something like a subway. I believe there will be abundant demand from people who want to live in areas with convenient transportation.

-You are also calling for the introduction of a heavy-ion therapy system. How can this be pursued?

▲Heavy-ion therapy systems are highly effective for cancer treatment and are called "dream therapy devices." In Korea, there is only one unit, at Severance Hospital, and the waiting list is so long that some people go to Japan for treatment. The production cost is about 350 billion won, but if we combine a consortium of several cities within Gyeonggi Province with corporate social responsibility capital from semiconductor companies, it is fully achievable. It would be similar to Hambeaksan Memorial Park in Hwaseong, where a crematorium was built through a consortium of seven cities. Since it takes about 7 to 8 years from groundbreaking to completion, we must start now.

-How do you plan to solve the care problem?

▲The state should take responsibility for care up to the sixth grade of elementary school, and there should also be compensation for family-based care. Elementary schools, whether in old downtowns or new towns, have large sites in good locations, but they close at around 2 or 3 p.m. I previously introduced a bill to use these facilities as care hubs, but I also faced protests from teachers' organizations. We need a structure in which the central government, metropolitan governments, basic local governments, and education offices cooperate, while distributing responsibility appropriately. I believe care services utilizing existing elementary school facilities should be actively pursued.

-You once served as chief spokesperson for President Lee Jaemyung. Have you informed him of your candidacy?

▲I can sufficiently make it known through the media and other channels, but I do not think it is appropriate to convey news of my candidacy in that way. The president would likely offer words of encouragement such as "Do your best," but those words could be distorted and made public externally. I think that would not be good. In the past, I served as President Lee's voice for over a year. If I become governor of Gyeonggi Province and meet him at the presidential office, I will be able to talk with him as comfortably as anyone.

-How do you evaluate the provincial administration of the current Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dongyeon?

▲Perhaps because he is a former civil servant, Ministry of Economy and Finance official, and minister, it seems he has managed to maintain the status quo to some extent. However, I have heard that there has been some lack of communication with the council and civil servants. The Gyeonggi Provincial Council is almost evenly split between the ruling and opposition parties, so respect for and communication with the council are important. I have heard that people who have long served as high-ranking bureaucrats tend to somewhat look down on local councils.

-Your current approval rating is low. How do you plan to break through in the primary?

▲I acknowledge that my approval rating is low. Listening to what the other candidates are saying, it seems there is no clear discussion about what urgently needs to be done in Gyeonggi Province right now. I will work harder to inform the residents of Gyeonggi about that, and if that message gets across, I believe I can achieve a good result.

Kwon Chilseung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea running for governor of Gyeonggi Province in the June 3 local elections, is being interviewed on the 25th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung