Yangcheon District Mayor Candidate Woo Hyungchan: "Four Years Is the Golden Time for Yangcheon Transportation... I Will Usher in the Subway Era"

"Strengths: Ruling Party Network, Expertise, and On-the-Ground Experience"

"Will Accelerate Administrative Speed of Reconstruction and Redevelopment"

[Interview] Woo Hyungchan, Democratic Party Candidate for Yangcheon District Mayor

"Four years is the golden time for transportation in Yangcheon. If we miss this timing, we will have to wait another ten years."

Woo Hyungchan, a candidate running for Yangcheon District Mayor in the June 3 local elections, shared this perspective in a written interview with The Asia Business Daily. Having worked as a broadcast producer for 16 years and then serving as a Seoul Metropolitan Council member for 12 years, he was the chairman of the 10th council’s Transportation Committee and the vice chairman of the 11th council. Throughout his interview answers, he expressed pride in his background in transportation, repeatedly describing the four-year term as a "golden time."

Woo introduced himself as "a native of 53 years who came to Sinwol-dong as the son of an evictee in 1973 and graduated from Yangdong Elementary School, Sinwol Middle School, and Yeongil High School." He emphasized, "My assets are my network with the ruling party, 12 years of expertise in Seoul’s budget and policy structure, and the field experience of 53 years that gives me an acute understanding of both the urgency of reconstruction and the suffering caused by aircraft noise."

Woo Hyungchan, candidate for Yangcheon District Mayor, stated in a written interview with The Asia Business Daily, "We will focus on realizing the Mokdong Line as it directly passes through Yangcheon District." Provided by the election office.

The core slogan of his campaign is "The Yangcheon Subway Era." Woo argued that the long-standing transportation needs of Yangcheon are not about whether projects move forward, but about when. He outlined concrete milestones for each line that he aims to achieve within the four-year term.

First, regarding the Mokdong Line and the Gangbuk Cross-Line, Woo set the goal of "completing the preliminary feasibility study and initiating the master plan" within his term. He said he would focus most intensely on the Mokdong Line, as it directly passes through Yangcheon District.

He explained, "The purpose of the National Finance Act revision is to support areas suffering dual hardships, such as Sinwol-dong, which faces both aircraft noise and weak public transportation." He added, "With the determination and political will of the Lee Jaemyung administration, there is a good chance of success."

He also mentioned that the upcoming Mokdong Apartment reconstruction would positively impact the economic feasibility of the line. On this matter, he said, "I shared common ground with the campaign of Seoul mayoral candidate Jung Wonoh."

For the Daejang-Hongdae Line, Woo pledged to "ensure the opening schedule is met through fair management." Having promoted this project since his first term as a city council member in 2014, he emphasized that a subway station will be established in Sinwol-dong. "It took a long time, but construction has finally begun," he said, "and I know firsthand that persistence pays off."

He also promised to advance the relocation of the Sinjeong Train Depot to the agreement stage within four years. Specifically, his plan consists of two tracks: securing an agreement with the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the relocation and development of the site, and concluding agreements with Seoul and Gyeonggi Province local governments regarding line extension and depot relocation. He noted, "I have worked together with Seoul mayoral candidate Jung Wonoh to resolve these issues by visiting sites and combining our efforts."

Village buses and the Daramjwi ("Squirrel") Bus are also included in his four-year pledges. "Within one year of my term, I will complete both route restructuring and pilot operations," he said, aiming to improve everyday transportation alongside major projects.

He plans to prioritize transportation in his very first approvals as mayor. He committed to simultaneously signing off, on his first day in office, on the formation of a "Yangcheon Subway Era Task Force" and the establishment of a permanent support team of reconstruction and redevelopment experts. He explained, "Preparations will be completed before the inauguration ceremony," and, "from the moment I am elected, I will use the transition period to finalize the structure and operation plans."

Among his seven main pledges, the top priority is speeding up reconstruction and redevelopment. While acknowledging that the authority to designate maintenance zones rests with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, he stated, "The administrative speed of the district office, both before the designation during preparation and after designation, is critical to the overall project timeline."

He believes, "There is a clear difference between a district office that passively waits and one that proactively prepares." In particular, if the authority to designate small-scale maintenance zones (less than 500 households) is transferred to the district, "A dedicated team will be established and preliminary services completed so that approvals can be issued immediately upon implementation of the system." He described this dedicated body as "not just an organization for explanation and consulting, but a team where public officials in charge of permits and private experts work together with residents to solve problems."

Woo Hyangchan is greeting residents. Provided by the election office.

For airport noise compensation, Woo named "transferring responsibility to the state" as the first issue he would resolve. "Currently, compensation funds rely solely on airport profits, which means compensation is extremely limited," he said, "so I will strongly demand that these funds be included in the general budget of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport."

He explained the funding solutions in two ways. First, by securing as much national and municipal funding as possible, and by strategically allocating reconstruction-donated facilities to fit the '10-Minute City' design, thereby reducing the district’s financial burden. Second, he proposed a fresh review of Yangcheon District's budget, which exceeds 1 trillion won. He said, "I will rigorously review customary allocations, showcase projects, and budget items that have traditionally been considered routine."

Among the practical, community-focused pledges branded as "Woo Hyungchan Policies," he highlighted the "Our Neighborhood Management Office" initiative. He pointed out that residents awaiting reconstruction in single-family and low-rise housing areas do not receive the security, cleaning, and facility management services that apartment dwellers enjoy. "By operating management offices by district, I will provide equal daily life services for them as well," he stated, adding, "Even though it is a small policy, it changes the daily lives of marginalized residents and is the starting point for balanced development in Yangcheon."

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