"Prostitution Solicitation in This Day and Age?"...Jo Yujin, Yeongdeungpo District Mayor Candidate, Vows to Resolve Within a Year

"District Mayor Holds 2,000 to 3,000 Powers"

"You Must Fully Understand Your Authority to Use It for Residents"

[Interview] Democratic Party Candidate for Yeongdeungpo District Mayor, Jo Yujin

"There are still several prostitution businesses near Yeongdeungpo Station, operating with vinyl tents set up along the main street, soliciting customers. What has been done until now? How is it possible that this is still happening in an area where even children pass by?"

Jo Yujin, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Yeongdeungpo District Mayor, brought up the issue of prostitution hotspots early in the interview. She stated, "I will resolve the prostitution hotspot within one year of my term," adding, "If crackdowns are conducted consistently, it becomes difficult for these businesses to continue operating. Ultimately, it is a matter of the district mayor’s determination."

Candidate for Yeongdeungpo District Mayor, Yujin Cho, expresses her determination to close down the Yeongdeungpo sex trade hub in an interview with The Asia Business Daily. Provided by the election office.

Candidate Jo, a fifth-generation local born in 1968 in Singil-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, graduated from Dorim Elementary School and went on to earn a master's degree in law from Seoul National University’s College of Law and Graduate School of Law. She served as an administrator in the Office of Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs at the Blue House during the Participatory Government. In 2015, she founded the Choem Constitution Research Institute and has served as its director, working as a policy researcher. This interview took place on the morning of May 14 at her campaign office near Yeongdeungpo Market Station. The following is a Q&A.

-You pledged to resolve the prostitution hotspot within one year. Is it possible with administrative power alone?

It is possible. In the end, it is a matter of the determination of the district mayor. We need to examine whether there has ever been a consistent and strong crackdown. If crackdowns are carried out persistently, 24 hours a day, it becomes difficult for brothel owners to continue their business.

If necessary, the district mayor will go to the crackdown sites in person. I will implement a two-track strategy that combines strong enforcement with dialogue with workers. I will establish a separate communication channel for supporting the self-sufficiency of those leaving prostitution and refer to the experiences of other local governments. Any donations received in this field will be unconditionally returned. Accepting such money would make enforcement impossible.

-You are running for an elected office for the first time in ten years after running for metropolitan council. What are your strengths?

The authority granted to a district mayor amounts to 2,000 to 3,000 powers. I doubt how many local government heads are fully aware of the powers they hold. This is a diagnosis I have confirmed directly while carrying out ordinance revision projects for basic local governments across the country at the Choem Constitution Research Institute. If you do not know your own authority, you cannot use it for the residents.

A local government head does not necessarily have to be a legal professional, but at minimum, they need basic legal literacy, political acuity, and administrative experience. I have worked in constitutional studies and have served as a policy advisor both at the Blue House and in local government. My research on the practical value of the Constitution began when the late President Roh Moo-hyun suggested during my time at the Blue House that I "study how the Constitution can be applied to politics."

By conducting extensive policy research and ordinance revision projects targeting basic local governments nationwide, I have continuously identified practical gaps in administration. My core vision is to establish a 'constitution-based administrative system' that reflects constitutional values in local governance and prioritizes the fundamental rights of residents above all else.

-If elected, what will be your 'first approval' as mayor?

I will designate December 3, the day of the proclamation of the illegal 12·3 Martial Law, as 'Yeongdeungpo Democracy Festival Day.' Every year, on this day, I will not only host a festival but also introduce an ordinance so that residents can directly decide major district issues through a public vote at a people’s assembly.

-Redevelopment and reconstruction are being carried out simultaneously in the Singil, Daerim, and Yeouido areas of Yeongdeungpo.

To address the issue of collusion between redevelopment and reconstruction businesses and public officials—a so-called 'cartel'—I will thoroughly review the entire administrative system. In addition, to prevent residents from suffering damages by signing contracts without expert knowledge, I will assign specialized district office staff to pre-examine contracts for harmful clauses. By introducing urban maintenance managers, I will improve both the transparency and speed of consulting, dispute mediation, and practical support for redevelopment projects.

-The undergrounding of the Gyeongbu Line railway and the 'Best of the Best Yeongdeungpo' project are key pledges.

The Gyeongbu Line, which has run across Yeongdeungpo from north to south, has divided the city in two. The areas of Singil, Daerim, Dorim, and Mullae are separated from Yeouido and central Yeongdeungpo by the railway, forcing residents to detour via distant overpasses and underpasses, while enduring noise, dust, and safety concerns.

In January 2024, the 'Special Act on Railway Undergrounding and Integrated Railway Site Development' was passed by the National Assembly, providing the legal basis. I will immediately activate a consultative body involving the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and Korea Railroad Corporation for the early commercialization of the Yeongdeungpo section. I will realize the vision of a '10-Minute North-South Connected City in Yeongdeungpo' that reconnects divided neighborhoods. The development gains will be transparently managed and reinvested in transportation improvements and revitalizing local businesses.

Yeongdeungpo is the site where the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea first arrived, the location of the Miracle on the Han River, and home to the National Assembly that drafted the 1987 democratic constitution—three sources of historical pride. Building on this legacy, I will transform Yeongdeungpo into a cutting-edge future economic city, a high-quality international city, and a hub of K-culture.

Jo Yujin, candidate for Yeongdeungpo District Mayor, is smiling while explaining key pledges in an interview with The Asia Business Daily. Courtesy of the campaign office.

◆Candidate Jo Yujin

△ Born in Yeongdeungpo District △ Dorim Elementary School graduate △ Seoul National University College of Law and Graduate School of Law, Master of Laws △ Administrator at the Office of Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs (Blue House) during the Participatory Government △ Policy Advisor, Namyangju City △ Non-executive Director, Yeongdeungpo-gu Facilities Management Corporation △ Director, Choem Constitution Research Institute △ Special Advisor to the Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (current)

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