Choi begins his term under the 9th directly elected administration with a Tuesday visit to a war memorial in Jeonong-dong, signs an integrated care project as his first official act, and heads to Cheongnyangni traditional market on Wednesday to kick off his grassroots economic outreach
Choi Dong-min was inaugurated as district mayor of Seoul's Dongdaemun-gu on Tuesday, officially launching the 9th directly elected district administration with a visit to a war memorial in Jeonong-dong.
As his first act of the day, Choi paid his respects at the Jeonong-dong Chunghon Tower, honoring the sacrifice of patriots and fallen soldiers. The memorial bears the names of 4,547 servicemembers who gave their lives in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
"The freedom, peace, and safety we enjoy today were not simply given to us," Choi said. "It is because of the sacrifice and dedication of the heroes who defended this land that today's Republic of Korea and our daily lives are possible."
He added that he would "devote himself to protecting the safe daily lives of residents on this land that heroes defended with their lives, and to making the people of Dongdaemun-gu proud of where they live."
After the memorial ceremony, Choi returned to the district office and signed the "Dongdaemun-gu Integrated Care Specialized Project" as his first official approval — a signal, on a day that began with remembrance, that his administration would move immediately to protect residents' everyday lives. The district said it would pursue a Dongdaemun-gu-style integrated care system to more closely support single-person households, those at risk of social isolation, and residents in need of care.
The first approval carried the welfare vision of the 9th administration: "Deeper care, stronger lives for residents." The district plans to add programs unique to Dongdaemun-gu to reduce gaps in care coverage and build a welfare system that works in practice, close to where residents live.
A notable first for the new administration is the creation of a dedicated "Loneliness Care Division" — the first of its kind nationwide — to provide attentive support for single-person households and those at risk of isolation. The district aims to expand integrated care beyond daily living assistance to include prevention of emotional isolation, building a welfare system in which the administration proactively reaches out to residents.
"Remembering the sacrifice that protected this country, it is now the duty of the administration to protect residents' lives," Choi said. "Welfare must begin not on a desk but in the daily lives of residents. The administration will reach closer to elderly residents who need care and to neighbors at risk of isolation."
The inauguration ceremony was held at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the multipurpose hall on the second floor of the district office. In his inaugural address, Choi described Dongdaemun-gu as "the place where I spent the most passionate years of my youth, and the place I have called home for nearly 40 years," and said he would take the responsibility entrusted to him by residents with great seriousness.
Choi outlined five priorities for the 9th administration: economic revitalization, transportation, residential improvement, welfare, and education and culture. Key goals include transforming the Cheongnyangni area into an economic hub, eliminating transportation blind spots, accelerating redevelopment and creating 10-minute living zones, building a welfare city that stays close to residents, and developing an education and culture city that reflects the character of each district.
He also said he would "find answers in the field rather than at a desk, and in residents' voices rather than in documents," pledging to "be a district mayor judged by action over words, and by results over promises."
On Wednesday, Choi will visit Cheongnyangni traditional market for his first field outing of the new administration. Traditional markets and alley commerce are the foundation of Dongdaemun-gu's local economy, and Choi said he intends to listen directly to merchants and translate their concerns into policies that make a real difference.
"The first priority of the 9th administration is the lives of residents," Choi said. "I will repay their trust through an administration that remembers history and protects the safe daily lives and livelihoods of the people. The starting point and the destination of governance must always be the residents."
Tuesday's schedule also included a welcome ceremony upon his first arrival at the office, the signing of administrative handover documents, the inauguration ceremony itself, and a staff assembly — a full first day marking the formal start of the 9th directly elected administration.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
