Choi Hogwon, Yeongdeungpo Mayoral Candidate with Care Worker Certification, Shows His Commitment to Seniors

"Care Worker Angels"
Choi Hogwon, the Only Seoul Mayoral Candidate with a Care Worker Certification,
Highlights the Importance of Elderly Care and Proposes a Family Respite System

Choi Hogwon, the People Power Party candidate for Yeongdeungpo District Mayor, is pushing a senior citizen's wheelchair and having a conversation.

[Asia Economy, reporter Park Jongil] "My father, in his later years, moved back to his hometown in the countryside, saying he preferred it there. He lived with the help of a care worker until he passed away. Thanks to that, I came to understand the work of care workers and how grateful we should be for what they do."

Choi Hogwon, who was confirmed as the People Power Party candidate for Yeongdeungpo District Mayor on May 4, is a former high-ranking official who ended a 30-year career as a public servant last year. Among the 25 district mayoral candidates in Seoul, he stands out as the only candidate holding a care worker certification.

Choi expressed his interest and affection for care workers who look after senior citizens by sharing these thoughts on his Facebook page.

His perspective on care workers can also be found in the final chapter of his book, "Choi Hogwon, Dream of Local Autonomy," which is titled "We Live Together with Care Worker Angels."

In this chapter, he describes care workers as "angels who care for lives with their whole bodies," emphasizing the need to strengthen support for vulnerable groups in society as we approach an era of rapid aging.

While his direct interest in care workers began with the caregiver who looked after his father, the reason he decided to take the national care worker certification exam goes back to over ten years ago. He was deeply moved by a letter from a grandmother living in a nursing home, which was published in his church bulletin, and the message lingered in his mind ever since.

He said, "In 2020, people aged 65 and over accounted for 15.7% of our population. By 2025, that number is expected to reach 20.3%, and by 2060, 43.9%, marking our entry into a super-aged society. Due to the rapid increase in the elderly population, many families are already struggling with the burden of providing full-time care for their loved ones. I hope that, with the help of care workers, these families can have at least a few hours of respite each day." He also emphasized the importance of contributing to society through "elderly-to-elderly care," where retired seniors care for other seniors.

He explained that if healthy retirees in their 60s and 70s receive care worker training and volunteer for half a day, two or three times a week, they could give families exhausted from all-day caregiving two to three hours of rest per day.

To this end, Choi has proposed the introduction of a "Care Worker Family Respite System" as one of his campaign pledges.

Attention is now focused on whether Choi Hogwon, the care worker-certified mayoral candidate, will be chosen by the residents of Yeongdeungpo District and be able to realize his vision of giving back to the community.

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