[Local Election Interview] Jung Wono: "I Will Make Seoul the Envy of the World... Expanding Administrative Efficacy"

Former Three-term Seongdong-gu District Chief Highlights Practicality, Execution, and Administrative Efficacy
Ruling Party Seoul Mayoral Candidate Demonstrates Competitiveness in the "Hangang Belt"
Achieved Highest Vote Share Among Democratic Party District Chief Candidates in the 7th and 8th Local Elections
Vision for Seoul as a Global G2 City: "A Future Industry Hub Including AI"

"I want to create a Seoul that citizens desire and a Seoul that inspires envy around the world."

The keyword that ran through the interview with Jung Wono, the Democratic Party candidate for Mayor of Seoul, conducted by The Asia Business Daily at his campaign camp in Taepyeong-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, on May 15, was "efficacy." It reflects his desire to be a tool that truly changes the lives of citizens. His message is imbued with not just confidence, but a sense of earnestness. "I want to expand the practicality, execution ability, and administrative efficacy—solving problems and delivering results on the ground—across the entire city of Seoul."

We know public officials who feel happiness in their work. In many ways, politician Jung Wono resembles President Lee Jaemyung. It is rare in Korean political history for an individual to have grown by proving their political capabilities through administration, without the backing of a specific faction. Just as the people of Gyeonggi-do endorsed President Lee in the last presidential election, the residents of Seongdong-gu are now strong supporters of candidate Jung. The word-of-mouth saying, "He does a great job when entrusted with work," is a key reason for his soaring approval ratings in Seoul mayoral polls.

Jung Won-oh, Seoul mayoral candidate, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the election office on Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

Candidate Jung said, "The smart shelters and smart crosswalks of Seongdong District Office have spread nationwide, and policies such as support for essential workers, women with career breaks, preventing gentrification, and supporting social ventures have actually been enacted into laws and systems." If elected mayor, Jung stated, "I will establish a public transportation network where subways, city buses, and village buses are organically connected," adding, "I will ensure that every citizen can reach a bus stop within five minutes from their home and access the subway within ten minutes, making this transportation system a reality."

The reason a former Seongdong-gu District Office chief was chosen as the Seoul mayoral candidate over veteran lawmakers with vast political experience is due to tangible improvements in citizens' lives and the expectations for the future. Although it is said that President Lee's mention of Jung on social media led to a sharp rise in his approval ratings, in fact, this sense of expectation was already noticeable in earlier polls. Jung said, "I was surprised when I saw the approval ratings for the mayoral candidates," and added, "I realized that citizens are looking for a competent candidate who will truly care for their livelihoods."

Jung is someone who has built his way up from the ground. Born in Yeosu in 1968, he graduated from Yeosu High School and Seoul City University with a degree in economics. In his mid-20s, in 1995, he started his political career as a secretary to the Yangcheon-gu District Office chief in Seoul, later joining the office of Assemblyman Lim Jongseok. He gained experience in the mechanisms of politics and legislation, political strategy, the practical workings of elections, and the operation of state affairs at the National Assembly.

It was not until the 6th nationwide local elections in 2014 that he ran for public office himself. Running as the candidate for the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (the predecessor of the Democratic Party), he was elected Seongdong-gu District Office chief with 50% of the vote. In the 7th local elections in 2018, he won a record-breaking 69.5% of the vote in Seongdong-gu. Even in the 8th local elections in 2022, when the Democratic Party struggled, he secured a third consecutive term as Seongdong-gu District Office chief with 57.6% of the vote. In both the 7th and 8th elections, Jung Wono achieved the highest vote share among the Democratic Party's 25 candidates for Seoul district chief.

Jung Won-oh, candidate for Seoul mayor, is giving an interview to The Asia Business Daily at the election office on Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

It is noteworthy that so many residents of Seongdong-gu, an area known as the so-called "Hangang Belt," chose Jung right after the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, when the People Power Party was riding high. In that part of Seoul where real estate issues are especially sensitive, Jung, a Democratic Party politician, was chosen—making him a formidable opponent for the People Power Party.

However, the four-term Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon is not an easy rival for candidate Jung either. In particular, the real estate issue, which is a point of attack for the People Power Party, is a challenge that he, as the ruling party's Seoul mayoral candidate, must address. Jung said, "To stabilize the real estate market, the most important thing is a steady supply of housing that citizens can actually feel," and added, "'Step-by-step development' aims to streamline procedures, improve project feasibility, and provide close administrative support, with the core goal of expediting the actual supply of housing in the city center." He plans to allow project implementation and management disposition plans to be handled with a single general meeting and approval, transfer the authority to designate redevelopment areas with fewer than 500 households to district governments to reduce administrative bottlenecks, and thus accelerate projects.

Jung is asking who is the person that can truly support citizens' lives in all areas—economy, jobs, housing, transportation, welfare, and safety. He said, "In the case of candidate Oh Sehoon, after four terms, the focus of city administration has shifted from citizens' lives to the mayor's own political ambitions," citing the Han River Bus, Garden of Appreciation, and Seoul Ring projects as examples that have sparked various controversies, leading only to increased social fatigue and conflict.

Jung said, "The biggest difference between me and candidate Oh lies in our city governance philosophy—specifically, in who we see as the true owners of administration," adding, "Based on my proven experience in hands-on, citizen-focused administration in Seongdong-gu, I will make sure that the people of Seoul can truly feel that city policies are changing their lives."

Jung Wono, candidate for Seoul mayor, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at his campaign office on Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joyo Jun

In this regard, Jung is committed to "leadership through communication." He stated, "If you prioritize showy administration, you end up failing to solve the inconveniences closest to citizens' daily lives," adding, "My goal is to go beyond simply receiving complaints and to establish a structure where citizen opinions actually lead to real policy changes."

This also connects to Jung's vision for the future of Seoul, the "G2" initiative. He said, "Seoul should not compete with domestic cities, but with global cities like Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Hong Kong," adding, "If New York represents the West, I want to establish Seoul as the equivalent hub in the East."

Can Jung Wono's experiment—emphasizing execution and efficacy that change citizens' lives, standing against the mudslinging political tactics of Yeouido—bear fruit? He aims to draw the future of "G2 Seoul" based on an era of citizen sovereignty empowered by collective intelligence.

"We must attract the Asian headquarters of global companies, develop future industry hubs including artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure that our young people with world-class abilities can find good jobs in Seoul without having to go abroad. This is the core of my vision for Seoul as a global G2 city."

Interview by: Ryu Jungmin, Politics Editor

Compiled by: Reporter Sim Seonga

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