[Local Election Interview] Choo Mi-ae: "A Unique Chance to Row with the President Who Best Understands Gyeonggi"

"Experience in Legislation, Judiciary, and Administration"


"Strong Drive to Deliver Results"


"Gyeonggi, a Microcosm of Korea"


"Promoting GTX and Supplying Public Housing"

"Currently, the president who understands Gyeonggi Province best is leading the nation. I, too, have built a long-standing relationship of political trust with the president, and we have shared a common vision that reforms and achievements must be centered on improving people's livelihoods."

Choo Mi-ae, Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Governor of Gyeonggi Province in the 9th Nationwide Local Elections, made these remarks in an interview with The Asia Business Daily on May 14. She said, "I anticipate strong policy alignment with the central government as we work to address key issues in Gyeonggi such as transportation, housing, industry, and balanced regional development." Choo emphasized, "There is a saying that you should row when the tide comes in. Now is exactly that time."

Choo Mi-ae, Democratic Party candidate for Governor of Gyeonggi Province.

Choo is known for being symbolized by the phrase 'the first woman,' having broken through the glass ceiling of male-dominated politics. A former judge, she has served as Minister of Justice and as a six-term National Assembly member. She holds impressive distinctions such as 'the first female judge-turned-lawmaker,' 'the first six-term female lawmaker,' and 'the first female ruling party leader,' earning her a reputation as a pioneering female political leader.

Choo's bid for Governor of Gyeonggi Province has drawn attention because she is seen as a strong contender to become the first female head of a metropolitan government in the history of Korea’s constitutional government. Introducing Gyeonggi as “a microcosm of Korea and the place where the future begins first,” Choo identified jobs, transportation, and housing as the most urgent issues. To address these, she pledged to expand the GTX transit network and introduce a metropolitan One Pass system, pursue housing stability through the supply of 550,000 public housing units, and foster high-tech industries centered on semiconductors and AI.

She stated, "Commuting traffic problems, housing instability, the gap between new towns and old districts, the long-standing sacrifices and regulations in northern Gyeonggi, creating a child-friendly environment, and the lives of youth and seniors—none of these can be taken lightly."

In particular, regarding semiconductor industry policy, she pledged to establish a 'semiconductor belt' connecting Suwon, Yongin, Seongnam, Hwaseong, Anseong, Pyeongtaek, Osan, and Icheon. Choo said, "I will complete a full-stack ecosystem, connecting not just production but also design, research, and talent development."

She also presented plans to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups. She intends to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs by advancing the industrial complexes in Ansan and Siheung and supporting the transition to AI. Choo added, "These days, I often wear sneakers. I plan to meet more people and work harder to attract investment."

Regarding strategies for developing northern Gyeonggi, a key local issue, she stated, "Special sacrifices deserve special rewards," vowing to push for the easing of overlapping regulations such as the Metropolitan Area Readjustment Planning Act and military restrictions.

For environmental and climate policy, she proposed expanding renewable energy and establishing a foundation for energy self-reliance. She plans to build a renewable energy system combining solar, wind, and ESS centered around the Siwaho Tidal Power Plant, and to promote the expansion of the 'Sunlight Pension' and the creation of a circular economy.

The following is a Q&A with candidate Choo.

▲What is your main reason for running for Governor of Gyeonggi Province?

=Throughout my 30-year political career, I have always focused on improving the lives of the people. While I fought for legislation and reform in the National Assembly, I also realized the limitations of only making laws and systems. Now, I want to pour all the experience and wisdom I have accumulated into the field, where the lives of 14 million provincial residents can directly change.

▲What is the most urgent issue currently facing Gyeonggi Province?

=There are three major issues: jobs, transportation, and housing. To solve these, I will immediately push forward the GTX metropolitan transit revolution, supply 550,000 public housing units, expedite the reconstruction of the first-generation new towns, and revitalize vulnerable areas to quickly achieve housing stability that residents can feel. In addition, by building a K-Semiconductor Cluster, supporting the AI transition and designating special zones, implementing a major transformation of energy, transportation, and logistics, and creating an advanced civilian-military industrial cluster in northern Gyeonggi, we will further strengthen Gyeonggi’s role as the growth engine of Korea.

▲How will you concretely implement policies to foster semiconductors and high-tech industries?

=Gyeonggi Province is already the world’s largest semiconductor production base, but now it must move toward a complete ecosystem connecting not just production but also design, research, talent, and energy. Within the belt connecting Suwon, Yongin, Seongnam, Hwaseong, Anseong, Pyeongtaek, Osan, and Icheon, we will build a 'full-stack' ecosystem encompassing fabless, foundry, materials and components, advanced packaging, and R&D. Through this, our goal is to secure global super-gap competitiveness and create high-tech industry jobs. In particular, to strengthen competitiveness beyond the memory-centric structure and in AI semiconductors and system semiconductors, we will foster 200 fabless companies. We will establish an industry-academia-research innovation system linking universities, research institutes, and companies, and attract semiconductor technology institutes and graduate schools to Gyeonggi to strengthen the foundation for talent development.

▲What are the differentiated measures for supporting SMEs?

=The Ansan and Siheung regions of Gyeonggi were the first industrial complexes in the metropolitan area specialized for SMEs, but recently they have faced difficulties due to aging facilities and changes in industrial structure. We cannot leave things as they are. Gyeonggi Province will take the initiative to actively connect the central government and companies to accelerate AX (the transition to AI) in the era of artificial intelligence. By firmly establishing this system, we will enable our SMEs to enter new areas arising from industrial transformation.

▲What is the most realistic way to resolve housing instability in Gyeonggi?

=We will establish a housing supply base with more than 550,000 units, including 370,000 public housing units, 128,000 purchase-based rental units, 60,000 jeonse rental units, and over 20,000 public-supported private rental units. By increasing both the speed and quality of housing supply, we will ease housing instability and enable young people, newlyweds, and homeless citizens to settle in Gyeonggi with security.

▲How will you balance the expansion of public housing with private supply?

=This is not an easy problem, but I will implement a 'cooperative housing supply' model that combines the speed and stability of public initiatives with the creativity and quality of the private sector. By bringing together the strengths of both public and private efforts, we will supply housing to meet the needs of Gyeonggi residents.

▲What is your strategy to alleviate the over-concentration of population in the metropolitan area?

=Rather than simply pushing people out, what’s needed is a strategy to create decentralized hubs with self-sustaining functions within Gyeonggi. Through the redevelopment of first-generation new towns, we will upgrade old residential areas and redesign them as cities equipped with integrated housing, transportation, jobs, and lifestyle infrastructure. The third-generation new towns should not just be housing projects; they must become new urban hubs with transportation networks, self-sufficient land, industrial functions, and lifestyle infrastructure. Northern Gyeonggi should no longer be seen as just a border or peripheral area, but should be developed as an industrial hub for aerospace, MRO, drones, defense, advanced logistics, and tourism industries suited to the region's characteristics.

▲What is your plan to bridge the gap between southern and northern Gyeonggi?

=Northern Gyeonggi has long borne the burden of various regulations and restrictions due to being a border area. Based on the principle of 'special rewards for special sacrifices,' I will promote the development of northern Gyeonggi. First, I will work to rationally ease overlapping regulations such as the Metropolitan Area Readjustment Planning Act, the Act on Military Bases, the Act on Development Restriction Zones, the Water Source Management Act, the Framework Act on Environmental Policy, the Farmland Act, the Mountainous Districts Management Act, and the Waterworks Act. In addition, we will establish a high-tech industrial base suited to the characteristics and potential of the north, including aerospace, MRO, drones, defense, advanced logistics, and tourism industries.

▲What is your direction for welfare policies specific to Gyeonggi?

=Welfare is an investment. Through 'life-cycle tailored planning,' we will build a social safety net and realize productive welfare to secure the future of Gyeonggi Province. Gyeonggi will set minimum standards to prevent disparities in care services by city and county, and will responsibly address any shortcomings.

▲What are your solutions for fine dust and environmental issues?

=The key is to establish Gyeonggi as a center that leads the expansion of renewable energy and energy self-reliance. Now, the environment is not a burden but a future industry. My recent visit to the Siwaho Tidal Power Plant reaffirmed that potential. Siwaho is a symbolic site that can combine various renewable energy resources such as tidal, solar, wind, and ESS. It could become the starting point for Gyeonggi to produce its own energy. Based on this, we will also expand the 'Sunlight Pension,' promote renewable energy supply using public land and industrial complexes, and build a circular economy through resource recycling. Reducing fine dust also requires a comprehensive approach, including managing aging industrial facilities and the transportation sector, promoting a transition to eco-friendly energy, and expanding green spaces in living areas.

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