[Interview] Jeonju-gap Kim Yoon-duk Elected, "I Will Not Be Arrogant!"

The Symbol of Incompetence, Jeonbuk National Assembly Members: Will They Become the 'Hwangso' Workers Leading Jeonbuk's Development This Time?

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Gominhyeong] The start of the 21st National Assembly members' term is just 10 days away.

The expectations placed on the 21st National Assembly members elected by the people of Jeonbuk are extraordinary.

They are tasked with assisting President Moon Jae-in, who was brought to power by the Candlelight Revolution, to simultaneously eradicate accumulated deep-rooted evils across society, eliminate regional discrimination, and promote the development of Jeonbuk. Jeonbuk has consistently supported the Democratic Party for over 30 years.

This reflects the hope to resolve the grievances caused by regional discrimination and neglect.

However, Democratic Party-affiliated Jeonbuk National Assembly members have, through incompetent and ineffective governance, caused decades of sighs and lamentations among Jeonbuk residents.

This anger ultimately culminated in the 20th National Assembly’s new political wave originating from Honam, ending with a harsh judgment on the Democratic Party through the People’s Party.

When in the ruling party, they had to endure reverse discrimination while watching the central party’s stance; when in the opposition, they were powerless as opposition members?a moment that drew sharp criticism.

The shoulders of the 21st National Assembly members elected this time bear heavy burdens.

We met with Kim Yoon-duk, the elected member from Jeonju Gap, the political hub of Jeonbuk, to hear his thoughts.

▲If you could give a greeting to the people of Jeonbuk...

= Hello, I am Kim Yoon-duk, the elected member of the 21st National Assembly for Jeonju Gap.

Thanks to the active participation of the people of the Republic of Korea, COVID-19 was being brought under control, but recently, the virus has been spreading nationwide again, causing much concern. I believe this is a time to maintain vigilance and effort, and I will do my best with the Democratic Party and the Moon Jae-in administration to overcome COVID-19.

I was elected as a National Assembly member thanks to the support and encouragement of the citizens. I am truly grateful.

I will observe public sentiment with even greater humility and never forget the earnestness I had during the election. I will implement good politics with humility, without arrogance.

I promise to be a National Assembly member who takes the lead and actively takes responsibility for the issues of Jeonbuk and Jeonju.

▲This election is being described as a redemption victory... what are your thoughts?

= Rather than seeing it as a redemption victory, I accept it as a stern mandate from the citizens of Jeonju to ensure the success of the Moon Jae-in administration and to promote the development of Jeonbuk and Jeonju.

For the past four years, I have prepared earnestly alongside the citizens. I will never forget that I am a National Assembly member created by the people of Jeonju.

I will always strive to be a National Assembly member who communicates and connects with the citizens, never forgetting the earnestness I had during the election.

▲The people of Jeonbuk are very interested in the Democratic Party’s future direction. What plans do you have for legislative activities and Jeonbuk’s development?

= In the 21st National Assembly election, the people of the Republic of Korea and Jeonbuk gave the Democratic Party overwhelming support. The Democratic Party must not be intoxicated by victory but must carry a heavier sense of responsibility to ensure the success of the Moon Jae-in administration and the development of Korea.

In the 21st National Assembly, the political community must unite to resolve Jeonbuk’s pending issues that were not completed in the 20th National Assembly, such as the third financial hub issue, Gunsan’s economy, and the Namwon Public Medical Graduate School.

Also, as the ruling party now holds the majority of National Assembly seats, we will join forces with the Moon Jae-in administration to bring about groundbreaking changes for Jeonbuk and Jeonju’s development. We will not be complacent.

▲Jeonju, in particular, has many issues to resolve. Even if not in your constituency, areas like Daehan Textile, the Comprehensive Stadium, old downtown revitalization, and Hanok Village require collective effort. Are there any urgent matters you think need addressing?

= While the development of the Jeonju Comprehensive Stadium and Daehan Textile site are important, since my constituency, Jeonju Gap, is centered on the old downtown area, I believe efforts to revitalize the old downtown must come first.

The decline of the old downtown leads to the deterioration of Jeonju’s working-class economy. Currently, the Ajung-ri area and old downtown are facing gentrification due to urban expansion and a decrease in tourists, deeply affecting the alleyway businesses, requiring solutions. With the determination to create a new Hanok Village, I believe we can create a new tourism industry and generate synergy by linking existing tourism industries, thereby revitalizing Jeonju’s old downtown.

▲How do you plan to proceed with your pledge to pass legislation designating Jeonju as a Special City?

= I will revise and supplement the “Local Autonomy Act Amendment” for designating Jeonju as a Special City and strive to have it passed within my term. In the 20th National Assembly, competition among regions made progress difficult, so I will proceed by cooperating with regions that need Special City status. I believe that designating one Special City in provinces without metropolitan cities, such as Jeonbuk, Gangwon, and Chungbuk, and cooperating with each region will yield results. If Jeonju is designated as a Special City, its budget will be independent from Jeonbuk’s, allowing more budget to be secured for both Jeonju and Jeonbuk, and urban infrastructure such as culture and welfare will expand through Jeonju Special City status.

▲Recently, Ajung Lake in Jeonju has become a hot place with underwater shows. Please explain your first pledge to develop Ajung Lake as an eco-friendly tourist complex.

= The core idea is to attract an eco-friendly water park and theme park to Ajung Lake, developing it into a representative tourist destination where visitors can experience and stay. Famous tourist destinations worldwide have theme parks linked to their local characteristics. I plan to benchmark this and apply cutting-edge environmental technology to preserve water quality and aim for zero carbon dioxide emissions.

Jeonju Hanok Village and the Ajung Lake area are very close, and linking them will be an opportunity to elevate Jeonju’s tourism industry to the next level, acting as a catalyst for the innovative growth of Hanok Village, the old downtown, and the regional economy.

▲Jeonju is often criticized as being too underdeveloped compared to Gyeongju. Many pessimistic views say this is because the political power is weak. Gyeongju is maintained as a tourist resource; what countermeasures or insights do you have in comparison?

= On January 28, Jeonju was selected as a “Tourism Hub City” by the Moon Jae-in administration. Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Yang-woo stated that Jeonju is the city with the most solid traditional cultural brand and is expected to spread tourism throughout the city.

Although Gyeongju was a competitor at the time of selection, Jeonju was chosen because of the uniqueness of Hanok Village and Gaekridan-gil, the attraction of ten million tourists, and various tourism programs that tightly connect Jeonju with other cities and counties in the province. Jeonju’s competitiveness will be greater if it develops as a dynamic tourist destination that maximizes its characteristics, allowing visitors to experience and feel the city, rather than simply viewing it as a tourist resource like Gyeongju.

▲Please introduce your plans regarding the creation of the Joseon History and Culture Complex.

= The number of tourists visiting Jeonju is decreasing, and small business owners here are struggling. Many point out that a second Hanok Village development project is needed for the Hanok Village facing a crisis. The Joseon History and Culture Complex I want to create is a project that unites the Joseon history and culture-related sites spread throughout Jeonju’s old downtown, including the current Hanok Village, into a historical venue. By recreating Joseon’s history and culture in Hanok Village and the old downtown and commercializing it as a tourism product, we can attract domestic and international tourists. Along with Ajung Lake and Cheonsa Village, we will create a tourism belt in the old downtown area.

▲If you had to pick an issue you want to resolve within your term, what would it be?

= Rather than focusing on an issue to resolve within my term, I want to emphasize “national balanced development” as an agenda that requires continuous effort. This is because, in the era of local extinction, the state needs to actively intervene in balanced development. Since my 19th National Assembly term, I have called myself a “balanced development evangelist” and have prepared thoroughly. Around 2014, I first advocated for the additional relocation of national institutions, the second innovation city. The state must actively intervene to reduce the gap between the metropolitan area and provinces, east and west, by evenly applying balanced national development policies such as budget allocation and SOC development. Only when both local areas and the metropolitan area develop evenly can we build a greater Republic of Korea.

▲Lastly, any words for the citizens?

Dear citizens of Jeonju! Respected residents of Jeonbuk! Thank you very much.

I fully understand that the support you gave to the Democratic Party and me, Kim Yoon-duk, in this election is a mandate to ensure the success of the Moon Jae-in administration and to create a new vision for Jeonju and Jeonbuk. I will not miss any of the hopes, wishes, encouragements, and support you conveyed during the election preparation and campaign. I will never be arrogant. I will be more humble and approach each citizen with a lowly attitude. I will work with you to build a Republic of Korea where the people are the owners, a developing Jeonbuk, and a happy Jeonju. Thank you.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.