[Interview] Seung-Ro Lee, Mayor of Seongbuk District: "Building the Next 100 Years of Seongbuk by Revitalizing the Livelihood Economy"

Comprehensive Plan for Revitalizing the Livelihood Economy
98.7 Billion Won Invested in 2021,
223.2 Billion Won to Be Injected Over the Next Three Years
Support for Three Key Areas: Livelihood Economy, Jobs, and Vulnerable Workers
A Commitment to Communication and Innovation
Building the Future of Seongbuk Together with 450,000 Residents

[Asia Economy, reporter Park Jongil] "Every time I faced a moment that would determine the future of Seongbuk, the responsibility felt heavy. However, I was able to overcome these challenges because of the residents who shared their concerns and gave me strength and courage. I would like to once again express my sincere gratitude to the residents who took the lead in getting vaccinated to end this harsh COVID-19 pandemic and to the medical staff and public officials who have devoted themselves to this cause."

Seung-Ro Lee, Mayor of Seongbuk District, shared his thoughts in an interview with our newspaper, expressing his reflections on his tenure so far and his determination as he enters the second half of the 7th popularly elected term.

Mayor Lee expressed his gratitude to the many people who helped overcome the crisis caused by the unprecedented COVID-19 disaster. He also outlined his future plans for responding to COVID-19 and proposed major support measures for the recovery of the local economy, focusing on three key areas: the livelihood economy, jobs, and vulnerable workers.

One of the flagship initiatives that Mayor Lee has personally led to facilitate communication between residents and the administration during the 7th term is the "On-Site Mayor’s Office." This project, a campaign promise of Mayor Lee, was designed to listen to local issues in the field and explore policy solutions together with residents, directly engaging with citizens in their daily lives.

However, due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face communication became difficult in 2021. In response, Mayor Lee continued uninterrupted communication with residents through non-face-to-face channels. From May 21, an online version of the On-Site Mayor’s Office was held for 10 days across all 20 neighborhoods, with approximately 40,000 residents participating and submitting a total of 280 opinions and proposals across various fields, marking a successful conclusion to the event.

Mayor Lee also emphasized that the damage to the local economy and residents’ livelihoods caused by the prolonged COVID-19 situation has been growing. To overcome this, he announced the "Comprehensive Plan for Revitalizing the Livelihood Economy," allocating 98.7 billion won in 2021 and a total of 223.2 billion won over the next three years as a "priming fund" for support projects in three areas: the livelihood economy, jobs, and vulnerable workers.

First, to support the livelihood economy, 56.4 billion won was allocated to projects such as loan support for small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners, as well as revitalizing local specialized commercial districts. Mayor Lee stated, "The district plans to support the development of local specialized industries, such as revitalizing the tourism industry based on our traditional strengths in the fashion and sewing sectors and our abundant cultural and artistic resources."

In addition, 32.1 billion won will be invested in providing both direct and indirect jobs. The district aims to create more than 6,000 jobs tailored to each generation, such as jobs for vulnerable groups, youth jobs unique to Seongbuk, and senior jobs. The district also plans to strengthen support for startups by utilizing various local startup facilities.

Furthermore, 10.2 billion won will be invested to support vulnerable workers. Mayor Lee said, "To this end, we will strengthen the public safety net through emergency welfare services and identifying those in welfare blind spots. We will also support self-reliance for low-income groups through work opportunities and further expand institutional support measures to protect the rights and interests of vulnerable workers."

Mayor Seung-Ro Lee of Seongbuk District stated, "To overcome COVID-19, the second half of the 7th term will be dedicated to preparing for a greater leap forward for Seongbuk’s next 100 years, building on the achievements of the past three years." He added, "I will not forget the commitment I made at my inauguration and will make the future of Seongbuk a reality together with 450,000 residents through more communication and innovative policies."

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