Seoul's Nowon-gu said it successfully concluded its "9th Elected Term Campaign Pledge Talk," held Wednesday afternoon at the main auditorium of the Nowon-gu Office.
Held under the slogan "Residents Ask, Nowon Answers," the event went beyond one-way policy announcements to become a real-time interactive forum with direct resident participation. The entire proceedings were livestreamed through the district's official YouTube channel, "Mihong-ssi," allowing residents unable to attend in person to take part and creating a space for engagement that spanned both online and offline audiences.
At the talk, division heads from the 9th Elected Term Nowon 3.0 Preparatory Committee — the district mayor's transition committee — presented detailed reviews and implementation plans for key campaign pledges in their respective areas.
The Future City division, covering redevelopment, reconstruction, future industry and transportation, outlined action plans for three of District Mayor Seo Jun-o's core pledges: improving the viability of redevelopment and reconstruction projects, establishing a one-stop support organization, and completing the Baeksa Village project. "Unlike other local governments in the northeastern Seoul area, Nowon has the potential to become a city that directly creates jobs by attracting major corporate headquarters," Seo said. "By leveraging key urban planning pillars — the Changdong railyard redevelopment, the Gwangwoon University transit-oriented area development, and the planned relocation of KEPCO's human resources development institute — we will attract businesses and jobs, strengthen the city's competitiveness, and improve the viability of reconstruction and redevelopment projects at the same time."
The livelihood economy, green and healing, and innovation administration and communication divisions then introduced pledges closely tied to residents' daily lives, including revitalizing local commercial districts, expanding youth employment, building a carbon-neutral model city, creating a premium waterfront park along Danghyeoncheon, improving the education environment, and expanding inclusive welfare.
In the real-time policy vote held after the presentations, the pledges that drew the highest support were: improved metropolitan transit in the future city category; the creation of public shared office spaces and expansion of youth work-experience programs in the livelihood economy category; the development of a premium neighborhood waterfront park along Danghyeoncheon in the green and healing category; and expanded support for elementary, middle and high school education environments in the innovation administration and communication category.
Comments poured in from the venue and the YouTube chat, with residents expressing both anticipation and suggestions — including "Finally, the Changdong railyard will be demolished and the job complex we've dreamed of will come to life," and "Please reduce the share of green space in reconstruction projects to ease the financial burden on residents." District Mayor Seo Jun-o said he would actively incorporate these voices into the implementation of campaign pledges and the policy development process, and pledged to deliver governance that residents can feel through ongoing communication.
The district plans to route the policy voting results and online and offline policy proposals from the event through review by the relevant departments, then actively use them in implementing 9th Elected Term pledges and shaping major policies.
"Communication and empathy with residents are above all else the most important things in governance," Nowon-gu District Mayor Seo Jun-o said. "Going forward, I will faithfully reflect residents' voices in policy and run the district on the foundation of continuous communication." He added, "I will further develop Nowon's strengths in environment, welfare, education, healing and culture, and build a future economic city overflowing with businesses and jobs — delivering change that residents can truly feel."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
