Jeongcheol Kim, Reform New Party Supreme Council Member, Announces Seoul Mayoral Run: "No Candidate Unification, Will Run to the End"

Press Conference Announcing Seoul Mayoral Candidacy on March 19

Kim Jeongcheol, Supreme Council Member of the Reform New Party, officially declared his candidacy for Seoul Mayor on March 19.

On this day, Kim held a press conference at the National Assembly to announce his bid, stating, "Politics has been noisy, but the lives of citizens have not changed," and added, "Seoul is a city with the potential to create another 'Miracle on the Han River.' I will be the one to start that miracle again."

He also presented five key pledges for Seoul's growth. First, he pledged to pursue industrial attraction and development at a New Deal level through active regulatory reform. He proposed transforming Nowon, Dobong, and Gangbuk districts into a 'bio research and education zone,' a 'K-culture tourism zone,' and a 'senior healthcare zone,' respectively, and envisioned building a dedicated highway for bicycles and running from Seongsu-dong to the border of Uijeongbu.

He went on to promise the active implementation of policies tailored for single-person households, such as supplying small-sized housing centered around transit stations and standardizing the size of small garbage bags.

Furthermore, he stated his intention to address public safety issues, such as demolishing aging buildings and banning electric scooters from sidewalks, and to conduct a full-scale investigation into Seoul city projects linked to established politicians, taking administrative measures to recover any unjust profits. He also proposed a welfare paradigm shift by creating a testbed for advanced industries for seniors and people with disabilities throughout Seoul.

On the 19th, Kim Jeongcheol, Supreme Council Member of the Reform New Party who declared his candidacy for Seoul Mayor (left in the photo), is shouting "Fighting" with Lee Joonseok, leader of the Reform New Party. Photo by Yonhap News.

He also highlighted his strategy to differentiate himself from existing conservative candidates. Kim said, "I have no criminal record and face no judicial risks. As I owe nothing to existing politics, I can work for the citizens as a new person."

He added, "The People Power Party is stuck in frames such as 'rebellion,' 'Yoon Again,' and 'Absolute Yoon,' which cannot defeat the Democratic Party. With such frames, conservatism can never be properly represented. As a free candidate, I believe I am the only one who can truly compete against the Democratic Party."

Regarding the possibility of unifying candidacies with the People Power Party in the main election, he drew a clear line, saying, "If I had considered unification, I would not have run in the first place."

At the press conference, Lee Joonseok, leader of the Reform New Party, also attended to support Kim's candidacy. Lee emphasized, "Looking at the backgrounds of past mayors, Seoul citizens have chosen their mayors regardless of political experience. Seoul citizens have always sought something new, and in this election, the new candidate is Kim Jeongcheol."

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