[Interview] Suncheon City Council Vice Chairman Kang Hyung-gu, Committed to Becoming a True Messenger Trusted by Local Residents

If elected as chairman, I will faithfully serve as a bridge between the council and the executive branch.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] I met Kang Hyung-gu, vice chairman of the Suncheon City Council, who respects former President Kim Dae-jung the most, and heard his thoughts on spending two years in the first half of the 8th Suncheon City Council and his plans to run for the chairmanship of the Suncheon City Council.

Q. You have spent two years as the vice chairman during the first half of the 8th Suncheon City Council. Could you share your thoughts?

A. Since the 8th council began, Chairman Seo Jeong-jin has worked hard to realize a just council that empowers citizens. As the vice chairman supporting the chairman, I played a role as a facilitator so that the 23 council members could demonstrate their capabilities and perform their legislative activities well.

Half of the council members are first-term members. They were very passionate. I supported each member in building their expertise in their respective fields and encouraged communication among them to help them perform their legislative duties effectively.

Over the past two years, despite difficulties, we put our heads together, debated, and sometimes helped each other, working diligently on legislative activities. The members worked so hard that I hardly noticed how quickly the two years passed.

Q. What would you say was the most rewarding achievement during the past two years of council activities?

Throughout my legislative career, the most rewarding moment was when I went to Zaragoza, Spain, during a heated debate on whether to hold the garden expo, and successfully attracted the garden expo to our Suncheon. The expo site has now become the nation’s first national garden, and Suncheonman National Garden has established itself as the most beautiful resting place for the people of Korea. That was my greatest pride.

During the 8th council, I proposed motions such as urging the abolition of tolls at the Suncheonman IC on the highway, a full revision of the ordinance supporting the memorial project for civilian victims before and after the Korean War in Suncheon, an ordinance on traffic control measures at road occupation construction sites in Suncheon, and a resolution urging the expulsion of a National Assembly member who belittled the historical value of the May 18 Democratic Movement, representing the voices of citizens.

In recognition of these efforts, I was honored with the 28th Korea Model Citizen Award, the ‘2019 Korea Local Autonomy Legislative Award.’ This award is given to individuals who serve as role models in society through peaceful character, active volunteerism, and sincerity. I would like to express my gratitude to the citizens and local residents who made it possible for me to receive this award.

Q. Could you introduce the key local issues you focused on promoting?

A. My constituency, including Songgwang, Oeseo, Nagan, and Byeollyang, is a rural area. As a council member based in a rural area, I focused primarily on increasing the income of rural residents.

Also, as farmers age, many are unable to work extensively on farming. I believed the most urgent task was to pass down their know-how and create village enterprises or social enterprises to increase income in farming and fishing villages. Therefore, I carried out legislative activities with the belief that the national, provincial, and city governments should actively support these people now.

Q. How would you self-evaluate your campaign promises to the citizens?

A. My biggest campaign promise was to increase the income of rural residents. To this end, I prioritized making high-income crops, such as cucumbers and pears in Nagan-myeon, peaches in Woldeung-myeon, and strawberries in Oeseo-myeon, competitive in the external market as representative local products.

Recently, the enactment of the agricultural and fishery allowance, which is a concern for rural residents, has somewhat alleviated the difficulties faced by farmers. This is a small achievement of mine.

I first entered politics in 2006 during the 5th council. Drawing on my experience serving the local community through activities such as the International Wiseman and as president of the Samsan Club, I thought I should serve on a larger scale through political activities.

In particular, as a professional council member who has operated a civil engineering construction company for decades, I wanted to monitor the construction-related fields in Suncheon and play a role in making Suncheon a better place to live. With that in mind, I chose the Urban Construction Committee as my standing committee and have carefully examined whether budgets are wasted and what projects are truly necessary for residents, carrying out legislative activities that address citizens’ needs. I believe I have done well and would like to evaluate my work positively.

Q. What are your thoughts and priorities for the second half of the council?

A. I promise to strive to make the second half of the council a more mature legislative body that meets the expectations of the citizens. I ask for your continued support and encouragement. Above all, I will work to make the council trusted by the citizens. As a representative of the people’s will, the Suncheon City Council will do its best for the happy lives of citizens and the bright future of Suncheon.

Q. If you run for the chairmanship of the Suncheon City Council in the second half, what is your plan for council management?

A. As a three-term council member, I have experienced the joy of election and the bitterness of defeat. Through this, I have come to understand what citizens truly want. If I become the chairman of the Suncheon City Council in the second half, I will solidify the council’s role internally and become a true messenger trusted by the local people externally during my term.

Above all, I want to establish an image of the council trusted by citizens. I want the people to feel that our Suncheon City Council is fulfilling its role. The core function of local councils is to monitor and check the executive branch. I will communicate and cooperate with the executive branch where appropriate, but I will also constructively criticize any wrongdoings.

This does not mean unconditional confrontation. That is not what citizens want. I will be at the center of the council’s role as a driving force, ensuring that the council and the executive branch work smoothly like the two wheels of a cart.

Q. Do you have any message for the citizens?

A. It has been two years since the 8th Suncheon City Council was inaugurated. I am grateful for the love and support you have shown to the council during this time. Going forward, all 24 members will focus solely on the citizens and work hard for them. We will also faithfully perform the council’s role of monitoring and checking the city administration. We will do our best to ensure that the 8th Suncheon City Council remains a council loved and trusted by the citizens.

Q. A lighter question: What is your favorite song or preferred alcoholic beverage?

A. I enjoy both listening to and singing songs. There is a song I like because of its pleasant lyrics. It was popular about 20 years ago. It is ‘For Love’ by Kim Jong-hwan, sung with a calm yet powerful voice. It is really good.

I used to like soju mixed with beer (somaek). My drinking capacity was about one to two bottles of soju. But now I keep my distance from alcohol. Drinking frequently caused my belly to grow and health issues to arise, so I have stopped drinking for about a year and six months. My belly has gone down, and my condition has improved, so I am satisfied.

Q. Is there anyone you respect or consider a mentor?

A. As a politician dedicated to legislative activities in the Suncheon City Council, I hold a figure related to local autonomy close to my heart. Perhaps no further explanation is needed; it is former President Kim Dae-jung, whom many respect.

He endured numerous hardships, including three election defeats and five near-death experiences before becoming president. Afterward, he achieved the first-ever inter-Korean summit since the division, won Korea’s first Nobel Peace Prize, and demonstrated successful political leadership by peacefully and democratically renewing his administration.

The core of President Kim Dae-jung’s local policies was ‘local autonomy.’ Despite being one of the biggest victims of regionalism, he was a leader who passionately worked for the introduction of local autonomy in the context of developing local democracy.

During his time as the leader of the Peace Democratic Party, when the Roh Tae-woo administration repeatedly postponed the implementation of local autonomy, he famously undertook a 13-day hunger strike risking his life to push for early implementation and ensure local elections. Without him, the local autonomy we enjoy today might have been possible much later.

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