Analysis of top campaign pledges from 25 Seoul district mayors-elect shows urban renewal leading, followed by transport infrastructure and economic development
Reconstruction and redevelopment projects claimed the largest share of No. 1 campaign pledges among Seoul's newly elected district mayors, with candidates across party lines promising to create dedicated offices to accelerate urban renewal. Transport infrastructure pledges came second. A notable exception was Cho Yu-jin, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate elected to lead Yeongdeungpo-gu, who made a "constitutional city" vision the centerpiece of her platform.
An analysis of campaign pledges posted on the National Election Commission website shows nine mayors-elect made urban renewal their top pledge: four from the Democratic Party — Eunpyeong (Kim Mi-kyung), Gangseo (Jin Kyo-hoon), Guro (Jang In-hong, incumbent) and Dongjak (Ryu Sam-young) — and five from the People Power Party — Jung (Kim Gil-sung, incumbent), Yongsan (Kim Kyung-dae), Gwangjin (Kim Kyung-ho, incumbent), Gangnam (Kim Hyun-ki) and Songpa (Seo Gang-seok, incumbent).
The mayors-elect of Yongsan, Dongjak and Gangnam all pledged to create new offices to speed up urban renewal. Kim Kyung-dae said he would establish a dedicated control tower — a new Yongsan Development Rapid Promotion Officer directly under the district mayor — to handle redevelopment, reconstruction and urban reorganization. Ryu Sam-young made "pursuing urban renewal projects at maximum speed as residents want" his No. 1 pledge, promising to cut redevelopment timelines by forming zone-by-zone project acceleration task forces.
Six mayors-elect made transport infrastructure their top pledge. On the Democratic Party side, they were Dongdaemun (Choi Dong-min), Gangbuk (Jeong Chang-su), Seodaemun (Park Un-gi) and Geumcheon (Choi Ki-chan). On the People Power Party side, they were Yangcheon (Lee Gi-jae) and Seocho (Jeon Seong-su, incumbent).
Choi Dong-min pledged to fast-track the doubling of the Suin-Bundang Line to reduce train intervals and expand the metropolitan rail network centered on Cheongnyangni Station. Choi Ki-chan made the introduction of a "Geumcheon circular transit system (circular bus) connecting Doksan and Gasan" — a pledge from Democratic Party Seoul mayoral candidate Jeong Won-oh — his No. 1 promise, vowing to build a city where residents can commute within 30 minutes. Jeon Seong-su won on a pledge to underground the Gyeongbu arterial road (Yangjae to Hannam) and Banpo-daero, converting the surface space into green gardens and a cultural arts street.
Five Democratic Party mayors-elect — Jongno (Yoo Chan-jong), Seongdong (Yoo Bo-hwa), Dobong (Kim Dong-wook), Nowon (Seo Jun-o) and Gwanak (Park Jun-hee, incumbent) — put economic pledges first, including building industrial clusters, developing large sites, attracting major corporations and revitalizing neighborhood commercial districts. Yoo Chan-jong ran on introducing a "resident employment retention support fund" system, while Yoo Bo-hwa won on a pledge to transform Wangsimni Station into a business hub by attracting companies and expanding the Seongsu IT industry, retail and development promotion zone to build an AI, design and fashion cluster. Kim Dong-wook pledged to pursue the "Changdong Economic Engine Project" — linking Seoul Arena and Changdong private-sector station development in a transit-oriented area — and to transform the district into a self-sustaining economic city.
Two incumbent district heads who won re-election — Jungnang (Ryu Kyung-gi) and Gangdong (Lee Su-hee) — put education at the top of their platforms. Democratic Party incumbent Ryu Kyung-gi pledged, through his "best education city and child-friendly Jungnang" promise, to bring education support spending to the highest level among Seoul's autonomous districts during his ninth elected term. People Power Party incumbent Lee Su-hee made "designation as Seoul's first IB (International Baccalaureate) education internationalization special zone" her No. 1 pledge, declaring her intent to "develop Gangdong into a prestigious school district."
Lee Seung-ro, the Democratic Party incumbent re-elected as Seongbuk-gu district mayor, made building welfare infrastructure for senior citizens and supporting the growth of children and youth his top campaign pledge.
Among all 25 mayors-elect, Cho Yu-jin's No. 1 pledge stands out. Emphasizing "supreme democracy," she said she would "institutionalize democracy with direct resident participation into daily life, declare Yeongdeungpo-gu the nation's first constitutional city, and establish resident sovereignty as the core principle of administrative operations." As concrete steps, she pledged to hold an annual residents' assembly every Dec. 3, form a resident sovereignty committee and make constitutional civic education mandatory. Cho is a constitutional law expert who has served as director of the Cheoeum Constitutional Research Institute.
cook@heraldcorp.com
