'Convenience Store Part-Timer at Midnight' Park Young-sun Begins First Election Campaign

Park Young-sun Targets 'Youth and Small Business Owners' on First Official Campaign Day

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for Seoul mayor, conducted a convenience store night part-time job as her first schedule for the April 7 by-election.

Photo by Park Young-sun Candidate Camp Provided

On the 25th at midnight, when the official election campaign began, Park visited a convenience store near Hongdae in Mapo-gu, Seoul, saying, "Convenience stores are places where you can understand the lives of self-employed people, youth, and single-person households," and "I chose a convenience store as my first election schedule to share the hardships of youth and small business owners."

That day, upon hearing from a part-time worker that they pay 500,000 won in monthly rent, Park explained her pledges such as '20,000 won monthly rent support for youth' and '50 million won interest-free loans for youth startups.'

Park said, "If I become mayor, I plan to implement a policy where Seoul City supports 200,000 won monthly rent." She added, "I also plan to lend 50 million won interest-free to young entrepreneurs, with repayment in their 30s to 40s." In response, the part-time worker said, "That would be very helpful," and "It seems like a good policy."

Park welcomed a total of six groups of customers until 1 a.m., personally selling snacks and alcoholic beverages while encouraging voting, and then held a meeting with convenience store officials including Lee Ho-jun, Secretary General of the Korea Convenience Store Network, and store owners.

Park said, "The people who have suffered the most from COVID-19 are small business owners, self-employed people, and youth, and I wanted to personally experience their pain and hardships," promising, "If I become mayor, I will take care of small business owners first." She also said, "Seeing the convenience store, I realized that many single-person households have emerged, and I will prepare urban policies for single-person households."

Starting with the convenience store part-time job, Park plans to greet citizens commuting at Sindorim at 8 a.m. She will also visit areas including Guro Digital Complex, Yangcheon-gu, and Yeongdeungpo-gu, focusing on fields where she can emphasize her strengths such as small business owners and the local economy.

Future election campaigns will be conducted under four main themes: listening, daily life, digital, and quarantine. Rather than giving speeches from campaign vehicles, she plans to create opportunities to communicate with citizens and listen to their vivid voices. Additionally, she will implement 'digital campaigning' by establishing a simultaneous broadcasting system on 50 campaign vehicles throughout Seoul to relay election activities in real time, and considering the COVID-19 situation, she plans to utilize distancing exercises and bicycle campaigns.

Park said, "This election is a battle between the future and the past," adding, "It is a confrontation between a candidate who talks about Seoul's future and gives hope, and a failed mayor with outdated administration and outdated thinking from 10 years ago. I will talk about Seoul's hope and future."

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