[Interview] Suncheon City Council Chairman Seo Jeong-jin "Strived to Realize a Just Council"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Seo Jeong-jin, chairman of the 8th Suncheon City Council, who has led an exceptionally busy legislative life over the past two years, concluded his farewell remarks with the phrase ‘회소향대(?小向大).’ We met with Chairman Seo Jeong-jin, who is returning to being a regular council member, to hear his thoughts.

Q. Please share your thoughts on serving as the chairman of the first half of the council for two years.

A. I have been busy carrying out legislative activities to realize a “just council that empowers citizens,” and before I knew it, it is already time to conclude my duties as chairman.

Since the majority of council members elected me as chairman for the first half, the responsibility was not light, but I am grateful that since I began my duties on July 2, 2018, I was able to lead the council without major difficulties.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all the council members who worked alongside me over the past two years to improve the quality of life for Suncheon citizens.

Above all, I sincerely thank the citizens who have shown unwavering love and support for our Suncheon City Council, which may have had many shortcomings as we focused solely on “citizen happiness.”

Q. What do you consider the most rewarding achievement during your two years of council activities?

A. I have always been grateful for the opportunity to serve, feeling the preciousness of time, and there has not been a single moment that did not leave an impression.

I vividly remember every smile and the firm handshakes from those in difficult and challenging situations when we provided small-scale projects to help them.

If I had to choose one, it would be the “Not Guilty Verdict for Civilian Victims of the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident” on January 20 of this year. While the Jeju 4.3 Incident, which shares the same historical context, has seen restoration of honor, the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident has yet to have a special law enacted for truth-finding and honor restoration, which has always been a source of regret and shame for me as a local politician.

I believe our efforts, including holding special lectures to share the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident with the local community and visiting the National Assembly to urge the enactment of a special law, were a small but valuable contribution to the not guilty verdict. We will continue to do our utmost to promote the enactment of the special law.

Chairman Seo Jung-jin is delivering a commemorative speech at the 40th anniversary ceremony of the May 18 event in Suncheon.

Q. Among local issues, which area do you think should be prioritized?

A. My constituency is a mix of urban and rural areas. In rural areas, urgent issues include the establishment of agricultural production infrastructure (such as farm road paving and irrigation/drainage channels) and the construction of new urban planning roads. Improving the residential environment for low-income residents is also an important matter.

In particular, for areas like Sangsa, which border waterfront zones, I am deeply considering ways to increase residents’ income by discovering income-generating projects in cooperation with the Water Resources Corporation and the Yeongsan River Basin Environmental Office.

For areas like Dosa and Ocheon, where the domestic economy is shrinking amid the COVID-19 crisis, we need to carefully examine how to revitalize commercial districts from both short-term and mid-to-long-term perspectives.

Q. What efforts are necessary for communication with local residents?

A. We actually go out to the field to observe and gather citizens’ opinions to review city projects and budgets. However, since preliminary and final reviews are conducted mainly in standing committees and the main council chamber, citizens often feel distant from our activities and are unaware of what we have actually done.

Over the four years, as we tried to handle as many tasks as possible for residents, we relatively lacked time and effort to inform citizens about our work and to approach them more closely.

Going forward, we will increase the time spent with residents so that citizens can feel the council as closer and more comfortable, as neighbors living together in the same community.

Q. What are your thoughts and priorities as you enter the second half of the council?

In the second half of the 8th council, I will return to being a regular member. I will remember the mindset I had when I first stepped into the Suncheon City Council with the support of citizens, and continue to communicate with the other 23 council members to work hard for the development of Suncheon City and its council.

Above all, I believe that being a member of the Suncheon City Council is a position to repay the trust citizens have placed in me by asking me to “make Suncheon a better place to live.”

I will do my best to carry out legislative activities that strengthen citizens’ trust in the Suncheon City Council as sessions progress.

In the second half of the council, I will not forget that citizens are at the center of all legislative activities and will think more intensely about policies that make citizens happy.

Q. What motivated you to enter politics?

A. While working as a post office manager, I felt that budgets were not distributed evenly. Seeing that resources were allocated last to the poor and vulnerable made me want to improve that, which led me to enter politics.

Perhaps because of this motivation, I still feel the strongest attachment to work that helps those in difficulty.

Q. Could you introduce a person you respect?

A. There are so many admirable people that it is difficult to choose just one. I do not have a particular person I respect above all; rather, I respect and am proud of every Suncheon citizen and every Korean who does their best in their respective roles.

Even amid the global crisis of COVID-19, you have practiced sharing by thinking of neighbors who are worse off than yourselves and demonstrated the “value of togetherness, the power of unity.” I will fill my legislative activities with the spirit of offering you small comfort and support, however modest.

Q. Lastly, do you have any message for the citizens?

A. Dear citizens of Suncheon! Over the short span of two years, I have run forward with my eyes fixed on achieving many things for your happy lives, so there may have been areas the 8th first half Suncheon City Council could not fully attend to.

Nonetheless, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all citizens who have shown passionate love and support for the 8th first half Suncheon City Council.

As the saying goes, “Because of steady today, tomorrow is infinite,” I will continue to carry out legislative activities for the infinite tomorrows of all citizens.

Please continue your unwavering interest and love for the Suncheon City Council. Thank you.

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