[2022 Local Elections] Who Will Run for Gwangju Metropolitan City Seo-gu Office Chief?

Seo Daeseok, Current Cheongjang, Revives in Appeal Trial... Shows Will for Reelection

Hotly Contested Nomination Area... Kim Bohyeon, Kim Igang, Bae Insu, Jang Jaeseong, Hwang Hyuntaek and Others' Public Opinion

From the left, Seodaeseok, Seo-gu District Mayor; Kim Bohyeon, Spokesperson of the National Balanced Development Committee; Kim Ikang, former Spokesperson of Gwangju City; Bae Insu, former Head of Seochang Nonghyup; Jang Jaeseong, Gwangju City Council Member; Hwang Hyuntaek, Gwangju City Council Member.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] [Editor's Note] The local elections on June 1 next year are just over 230 days away. This local election will be held immediately after the nation's first-ever 'Cherry Blossom Presidential Election,' and the political landscape could shift depending on who becomes president. Political figures aiming for basic local government heads have already begun strategic maneuvering. Among the five basic local government heads in the Gwangju area, some have completed trials or are awaiting results, setting the stage for fierce competition between challengers seeking change and incumbent district heads defending their positions. Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters sketches the election landscape for next year's basic local government head elections by district in Gwangju.

Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, along with Gwangsan-gu, is considered one of the hottest battlegrounds in next year's local elections. The current Seo Daeseok, Seo-gu district head, escaped a sentence that would invalidate his election in the appeal trial for allegations of receiving bribes, but he was not acquitted.

Seo was indicted on charges of receiving 8 million KRW from a company representative involved in a sewage treatment project commissioned by the Gwangju Environment Corporation in 2015, and 2 million KRW from a grade 6 city hall official under the pretext of requesting a promotion.

In the first trial, he was sentenced to six months in prison with a two-year probation and fined 10 million KRW. On July 13, in the appeal trial, a fine of 10 million KRW was confirmed, allowing him to retain his position and removing a major obstacle on his path to re-election.

Within the local political circles, opinions are divided: some say that although Seo avoided a sentence that would invalidate his election, the lack of an acquittal might make it difficult for him to secure the party nomination next year, while others believe his position remains solid.

Since taking office, Seo has emphasized 'people-centered' administration, starting with the revival of the internal free bulletin board.

Specifically, he set policies for the full realization of resident autonomy and the completion of a Seo-gu style integrated welfare system, implementing resident assemblies, school assemblies, and a resident recommendation system for neighborhood chiefs.

In 2019, he received the Basic Local Government Head Award for grassroots democracy in Korea, and his successful promotion of the community-integrated care pilot project, which leads the future of welfare in Korea, is considered his greatest achievement.

Additionally, by incorporating artificial intelligence such as AI speakers into administration, he is opening new horizons in care welfare. He has also been praised for meticulous attention to residents' health and safety through COVID-19 response, building a health community foundation, and establishing a comprehensive plan for a carbon-neutral city by 2045.

Potential contenders against Seo include Kim Bohyun, spokesperson for the National Balanced Development Committee; Kim Ikang, former spokesperson for Gwangju City; Bae Insu, former head of Seochang Nonghyup; and Gwangju city council members Jang Jaesung and Hwang Hyuntaek (listed alphabetically).

First, Kim Bohyun is regarded as a leading policy expert in the local political scene. He served as a member of the 6th and 7th Gwangju Metropolitan City Council. He was a deputy spokesperson for the Democratic Party's central party and served as policy director for the Democratic Party's Gwangju branch.

In his youth, he was also active as a civic activist with organizations such as YMCA and the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice.

Kim's greatest strength lies in his diverse experience across local administration, local councils, the National Assembly, and national advisory bodies.

Kim Ikang, former spokesperson for Gwangju Metropolitan City, is also preparing to enter next year's local elections.

He served as chief of staff to Mayor Lee Yong-seop, special political advisor, and spokesperson, earning the mayor's trust and strong respect from city hall officials.

Internally, he created new communication channels by soothing overworked staff with a gentle approach, and externally, he led interdepartmental agreements, media relations, and cooperation with civil society, demonstrating charisma in supporting Gwangju's strong innovation policy initiatives.

Another name mentioned is Bae Insu, former head of Seochang Nonghyup, who is not a traditional political figure.

Bae was inaugurated as the 9th head of Seochang Nonghyup in 1997 and successfully won five consecutive terms through the 13th, making him the longest-serving head in the region. This indicates a solid organizational base.

Serving for 20 years from the 9th to the 13th term, he is credited with leaving a significant legacy in the development of Nonghyup.

Gwangju city council members Jang Jaesung and Hwang Hyuntaek, representing Seo-gu, are also known to have ambitions for the Seo-gu district head election.

Jang served in the 5th, 6th, and 7th Seo-gu Council and is currently a member of the 8th Gwangju Metropolitan City Council, actively engaged in legislative activities for the lives and happiness of Gwangju citizens.

He has pointed out and proposed solutions to issues such as neglect of local businesses during the construction of Subway Line 2, insufficient consideration for transportation-vulnerable groups, and problems arising from the surge in apartment supply, effectively acting as a watchdog over current city administration.

Having communicated extensively with local residents for over 15 years as both a district and city council member, he is reputed to know the local situation intimately, down to whose household has which rice bowl and how many spoons.

Lastly, Hwang Hyuntaek served as a Seo-gu council member in the 6th and 7th terms starting in 2010 and joined the 8th Gwangju Metropolitan City Council in 2018.

He has earned the nickname 'Seo-gu's problem solver' by pursuing sustainable projects for citizens' needs without showmanship, practicing legislative activities through communication and cooperation.

Notably, he has actively promoted variable parking (odd-even parking) to resolve chronic illegal parking and parking shortages, raised awareness about proper waste disposal through campaigns, and enthusiastically pushed for the construction of the Seo-gu Complex Community Center in Pungam-dong scheduled for March next year, as well as the opening of new roads.

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