[Yeouido Essay] Prime Anguk Building? Even Park Young-sun Picks It

Anguk Building, Former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon Used It in 2011 and 2018 and 'Elected'
"21-Minute Compact City, A Mayor Like a Mother" Park Young-sun Also Renovating 3rd and 4th Floors
Leading Polls, Surpassing Ahn Cheol-soo in Approval Ratings

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] "Am I destined to be king?"

This is a line delivered by Lee Jung-jae, who played Prince Suyang in the movie 'The Face Reader,' to Song Kang-ho, who portrayed a genius physiognomist. Physiognomy, the practice of reading a person's character and even their future fate through their facial features, has fascinated people throughout history who wish to foresee an uncertain future. While physiognomy faces criticism for being unscientific and illogical, some argue it can be understood statistically, and in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, 'physiognomy-based plastic surgery' has become popular.

Similar statistical insights can also be found in the land, not just faces. The desire to complement perfect conditions with the energy of the sky and earth extends to the concept of 'myeongdang' (auspicious land). In this sense, Seoul is considered the best city, bordered by Cheonggyecheon Stream and the Han River, with Naksan, Inwangsan, and Namsan Mountains serving as the Blue Dragon on the left and White Tiger on the right. Among these, Hannam-dong and Apgujeong-dong are known as myeongdang where wealth gathers, and Yeonhui-dong is cited as a political myeongdang that produced two presidents.

The unexpected talk of 'myeongdang' is brought up to mention the camps of prominent candidates during election season.

Park Young-sun, former Minister of SMEs and Startups, who is running in the upcoming April Seoul mayoral by-election, has set up her campaign office on the third floor of the Anguk Building in Anguk-dong. As the number of staff increased, the campaign expanded to the fourth floor, and construction is currently underway.

Park Young-sun, a preliminary candidate for the Seoul mayor from the Democratic Party of Korea, is being interviewed on the 4th at the CH Building in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

This is Park's third attempt at the Seoul mayoral position. In the October 2011 Seoul mayoral by-election, she won the Democratic Party primary but lost the unification primary to independent candidate Park Won-soon, relinquishing her candidacy. In the 2018 local elections, she was defeated in the primary by the incumbent Mayor Park Won-soon and gave up her bid.

Ironically, the Anguk Building where Park has now set up her campaign was previously used by the former Mayor Park Won-soon, who defeated her.

In 2011, former Mayor Park Won-soon established his campaign office here and was elected Seoul mayor. When he ran for a third term in the June 2018 local elections, he again set up his campaign at the Anguk Building and was re-elected.

A representative from Park's camp explained, "We started using it because it became vacant," but in political circles, the Anguk Building is already known as a 'myeongdang.' Before former Mayor Park, former President Lee Myung-bak also established the 'Anguk Forum' here for his presidential primary campaign.

Is it the energy of the place? On the 25th of last month, Park officially declared her candidacy for Seoul mayor. Although she entered the race somewhat later than other candidates, her support surged enough to surpass Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, who had been considered the frontrunner for Seoul mayor. In a poll conducted by WinG Korea Consulting on behalf of Asia Economy from March 30 to 31, surveying 1,009 Seoul residents, Park received 24.6% support as the most suitable candidate for the next Seoul mayor, while Ahn received 22.4%, placing Park slightly ahead within the margin of error.

Party support also shifted after Park's candidacy announcement, with the Democratic Party overtaking the People Power Party in some polls. Park referred to this as the 'Park Young-sun effect.'

As a leading candidate for Seoul mayor, Park has been expanding her platform by proposing policies such as the '21-minute compact city' and the 'subscription economy.' Notably, she is shedding her past image as 'Bureok Young-sun' (short-tempered Young-sun) and emphasizing her role as a 'motherly mayor,' which has drawn attention. On the 4th, on Park Si-young TV, she said, "The lives of ordinary people have become very difficult due to COVID-19, and in such circumstances, people need someone to rely on and care for them. I think there should be a role for a motherly mayor."

She also mentioned Hillary Clinton and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying, "I have met both. Hillary Clinton is capable but felt very cold and harsh, while Chancellor Merkel is equally capable but warm and kind." She added, "I don't think I am broad-minded enough yet to be a motherly mayor, but I will strive to be one. Such a mayor is needed."

Park, who says she "looks only forward," must first pass the party primary. The Democratic Party's Central Party Nomination Committee announced on the 5th that the two-person primary between Park and lawmaker Woo Sang-ho has been confirmed for the April 7 Seoul mayoral by-election. The primary will be decided by 50% party member votes and 50% general voter votes.

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