Seogangseok, People Power Party Candidate for Songpa District Mayor, Successfully Holds Opening Ceremony

On the 14th, the opening ceremony resembling a launch event was held with the attendance of People Power Party Supreme Council Member Bae Hyun-jin, National Assembly Member Kim Woong, Party District Chairman Kim Geun-sik, city and district council candidates, and residents.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The opening ceremony for Seo Gang-seok, the People Power Party candidate for Songpa District Mayor, who adopted the catchphrase "Songpa Running Again!" was held.

On the 14th, at Seo Gang-seok’s election office in Samjeon-dong, the event was packed with over 500 residents, including Supreme Council Member Bae Hyun-jin, National Assembly member Kim Woong, party district chairman Kim Geun-sik, and candidates for city and district council, chanting "Seo Gang-seok" in an atmosphere reminiscent of a launch rally.

In his greeting, candidate Seo Gang-seok stated, “I am proud of the Republic of Korea, which, despite suffering the horrors of Japanese colonial rule and the Korean War, has grown into a confident liberal democratic nation, and I pay respect and honor to the preceding generations. The people have been upset watching the country become something they have never experienced before, so they sternly gave a lesson and achieved a change of government,” explaining his reason for running for district mayor.

He continued, “This enthusiasm today carries a heavy responsibility as a command to judge the local government in the upcoming June 1 local elections in line with the inauguration of the new government and to definitely reclaim power in Songpa District. There must be no slightest wavering in the election, and since it depends on our attitude, I will take full responsibility for everything. If you support me, I will surely regain local power and become one team with Mayor Oh Se-hoon to create ‘Songpa Running Again, Songpa, the Best City Nationwide!’” he emphasized.

In the following congratulatory speech, Supreme Council Member Bae Hyun-jin said, “All areas of Gap, Eul, and Byeong will be one team to definitely recapture the district mayor’s office. In the recent by-election, electing Mayor Oh Se-hoon made it possible to feel the promises fulfilled, but there was one gap. That is the district mayor. In two weeks, we must send candidate Seo Gang-seok as Songpa District Mayor and give overwhelming support to make it the best city in Korea,” she appealed.

Also, National Assembly member Kim Woong said, “The president has won. But look at what the Democratic Party is doing,” and stressed the necessity of changing local power by saying, “You must make Seo Gang-seok the Songpa District Mayor to achieve a landslide victory.”

Then, party district chairman Kim Geun-sik added, “The first button after the change of government is to win a landslide victory in local governments and then win the next general election so that the Yoon Seok-yeol administration can proceed firmly,” leading the chant of “Seo Gang-seok” to encourage support for making him district mayor.

Throughout the event, the crowd continuously chanted Seo Gang-seok’s name and even danced briefly to the music playing, raising the atmosphere to its peak. During the approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes event, Supreme Council Member Bae Hyun-jin, National Assembly member Kim Woong, and Songpa-byeong party district chairman Kim Geun-sik were appointed as general election committee chairs, while former district mayor Park Chun-hee and two preliminary candidates Kang Gam-chang and Shin In-gyu, who competed in the primary, were appointed as general headquarters chiefs.

Candidate Seo Gang-seok passed the 25th Administrative Examination, is a first-grade official of Seoul City, and has served as Director of the Finance Bureau, Deputy District Mayor, Blue House Administrative Officer, and Head of Management Planning at Seoul Agricultural and Marine Products Corporation.

He is also an administrative scholar with a Master’s in Public Administration from Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Administration, a Master’s in Public Administration from Pennsylvania State University in the U.S., and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Seoul. He is also a published poet and novelist.

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