Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon pledged Wednesday to "judge everything by the standard of citizens' lives and advance with citizens' happiness as my only goal," vowing to complete what he called a "special city of quality of life recognized by the world." Oh promised to build a Seoul where youth can dream again, all residents are healthy, housing worries are gone, connectivity is faster and neighborhood streets are alive.
The following is the full text of his inauguration speech.
Respected citizens of Seoul, I am Oh Se-hoon, the 40th mayor of Seoul Special Metropolitan City. It is a great joy and an overwhelming honor to mark this new beginning for Seoul together with you on this Wednesday. You, the citizens, are the ones who built the Seoul of today, and you are the ones who will build an even greater Seoul tomorrow. The office workers who board the first train before dawn, the parents who sweat for their children's futures, the small-business owners who keep their lights on late into the night, the young people who challenge themselves toward a better tomorrow — your hard work and dedication have made Seoul what it is today. You have again entrusted me with Seoul's future. I am well aware that a fifth mandate carries more than five times the responsibility. It is with that heavy responsibility that I stand here today.
Over the past five years, Seoul found its direction again. Through solidarity with the vulnerable, we restored the city's warmth; through Seoul's reinvention as an attractive city, we revived its competitiveness. We have planted seeds of change across housing and care, education and health, transportation and culture — all to transform citizens' lives. But completing change matters more than starting it. Change is only truly complete when citizens say their lives have improved. I make this promise to you: every policy of the ninth term of elected city government will be judged solely by the standard of citizens' lives. I will work with the conviction that results citizens cannot feel are not real results. When citizens' lives improve, Seoul's competitiveness rises with them. Seoul becoming a global top-three city does not simply mean climbing a world-city ranking. It means creating a city where people from around the world want to stay, and where citizens want to live their whole lives. That is what a special city of quality of life means, and that is the vision of a "Greater Seoul" we will build together. I will now fulfill those promises, one by one, in the daily lives of citizens.
First, I will build a Seoul where youth can dream again. For young people to challenge themselves freely, they need opportunities to learn, a place to live and a safety net to fall back on. Yet today's youth face greater pressure to survive than ever before, amid rapid changes in employment, technological transformation and high housing costs. If young people lose the belief that honest hard work leads to a good life — that taking on challenges opens doors — there is no greater crisis for the Republic of Korea. I will build a Seoul where effort leads to growth and ability earns recognition. We stand today at the center of a civilizational upheaval: the age of AI. Cities around the world are confronting new risks of inequality amid this rapid change, and Seoul is no exception. No one will be left behind by technological progress. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will guarantee AI basic rights for 500,000 young people, lowering the threshold for learning and using future technologies so that anyone — regardless of background — can compete on ability alone. That is the foundation of genuine fairness. When the starting line is equal, outcomes can be judged fairly. For youth preparing to enter the workforce, I will provide real competencies; for those dreaming of starting a business, solid tools; for those already working, a springboard for advancement. I will also ease the housing burden on young people. If youth leave Seoul because of housing costs, that is not a failure of youth — it is a failure of Seoul. Through youth housing policies including the Saessak studio apartment program, I will ensure young people can begin their lives and plan their futures in Seoul. Bold investment in youth is the surest future asset that will sustain Seoul 10 and 20 years from now.
Second, I will build a Seoul where everyone is healthy. No matter how brilliantly a city develops, that growth cannot last if citizens' bodies and minds are worn and ailing. Health is not a privilege for some — it is a right for every citizen. I will ensure that differences in economic means do not translate into gaps in health. I will build a "10-minute fitness zone city" where citizens can walk, run and exercise freely just 10 minutes from their front door. I will expand healthy living zones where children and parents walk together, seniors exercise with peace of mind and neighbors naturally connect. I will also further develop the Sonmok Doctor 9988 program, working alongside citizens as the habit of walking, tracking and personally monitoring health changes becomes part of daily life. A healthy Seoul is not a slogan — it is completed through daily practice. One step a day changes a family's health, and that health raises Seoul's quality of life. Citizens' health is Seoul's competitiveness.
Third, I will build a Seoul free from housing worries. Housing is the foundation of quality of life before it is an asset. For youth, it is a new starting line; for newlyweds, the ground on which they plan their future; for seniors and single-person households, the security of daily life. Only when housing is stable does life in Seoul become a source of hope rather than anxiety. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will accelerate housing supply, targeting the ground-breaking of 310,000 units by 2031. We will supply the right housing, in the right places, at a pace citizens can feel. Proven policies such as the fast-track integrated planning scheme and the Moa Town program will be refined further, and feedback from the field will be reflected in policy more quickly to boldly remove obstacles to supply. Not a single citizen should live in despair, believing they will never own a home in their lifetime. There is no livelihood issue more important than easing housing worries. With the conviction that housing stability is life stability, I will make sure to lift that burden from citizens.
Fourth, I will build a Seoul that is more quickly connected. The most precious asset for citizens is time. Transportation innovation is the surest investment in quality of life. Ten minutes cut from the morning commute means a more relaxed start to the day; 20 minutes saved on the way home means more time with family. When a subway station opens nearby, the possibilities of a neighborhood and the future of a community open up together. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will complete seven urban rail lines on schedule and usher in an era of a subway station within 10 minutes of every home. Wherever you live in Seoul, getting around will be faster and more convenient. We will also pay closer attention to areas underserved by transportation. By improving rail, roads and the public transit system together, we will reduce the inconvenience of getting around and give citizens back the time lost on their daily commutes.
Fifth, I will build a Seoul where neighborhood streets come alive. Livelihoods cannot be restored through statistics and numbers alone. Recovery is only complete when customers return to shops that once feared closing, and when foot traffic fills streets that had gone quiet. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will strengthen comprehensive support for small-business owners — covering financing, sales channels, management innovation and digital transformation — delivering the on-the-ground support they truly need. I will also develop the nighttime economy as a new engine of growth for Seoul. By establishing "nighttime economy co-prosperity zones" across the city — in Hongdae, Euljiro, Gangnam, Yeouido and beyond — citizens will enjoy richer nights out while local commercial districts gain new vitality. Seoul's nights will become yet another reason the world wants to stay.
Finally, I have a message for Seoul city officials. Our task is to be the first to identify what citizens need and the fastest to resolve it. Let us break outdated practices, keep our eyes fixed on citizens and innovate without hesitation. The harder and more difficult the task, the more I will be the first to decide and lead the way.
Dear citizens of Seoul, the next four years must be a time when Seoul does not merely leap forward, but when citizens' lives change dramatically. Transforming citizens' lives is the reason government exists, and it is the report card of city administration. Seoul's advance as a globally leading city must ultimately be a change made for citizens. As Seoul's name grows greater and its brand reaches across the world, that achievement will be a source of pride for every one of you. I will judge everything by the standard of citizens' lives and advance with citizens' happiness as my only goal. I will complete a Seoul recognized by the world as a special city of quality of life. Please stay with me to the end. Thank you.
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