"On any policy that directly affects citizens' lives, I will cooperate regardless of party lines — and I will keep checking budget waste and administrative loopholes to the very end."
Choi Jeong-eun, a proportional-representation member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council who spent 16 years in policy and communications for the Democratic Party of Korea, has launched her legislative career with a focus on livelihoods and pragmatism. Having joined the council on July 1, she said in an interview that she intends to draw on her long experience in political affairs to craft policies citizens can feel in their daily lives — and to find answers by going directly to the field.
Choi began her party activities in college and joined the Democratic Party as a full-time staffer through a competitive recruitment process in 2010, taking on roles in policy, communications and commentary. She later served in the office of Lee Jae Myung when he was Democratic Party of Korea leader, handling policy and messaging strategy, and built a wide range of political experience along the way.
Her goal is to channel that experience into policies at the local council level that bring real change to citizens' lives.
The area Choi is focusing on first is safety and care for the next generation. She said creating an environment where children can grow up with peace of mind is one of the most important responsibilities of a local council. Her plan is to tighten management systems in childcare settings, strengthen institutional support, and work toward making Seoul a city where parents can raise their children without worry.
"As a parent myself, creating an environment where children can grow up safely is the most important task of all," she said. "I will do my utmost to closely examine the blind spots in Seoul's childcare system that the city has been missing, and to put in place the policies and systems that let citizens raise their children with confidence."
She also identified field-based communication as a core value of her legislative work. She plans to visit communities across Seoul — starting with Seodaemun, where she lives — to hear directly from residents and reflect their voices in policy, practicing a style of lawmaking rooted in everyday life.
Drawing on her years of party work, she also plans to serve as a bridge between the council and the public, explaining the council's role and the budget review process in plain, accessible terms.
On her relationship with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, she stressed the importance of balancing cooperation with oversight. She said she would actively cooperate on policies that directly affect citizens' lives, while faithfully exercising the council's watchdog function against budget waste and procedurally improper administration.
She particularly noted that responding to climate disasters such as the recent heat waves, and protecting vulnerable populations, are areas that require bipartisan cooperation rather than political point-scoring.
As Democratic Party of Korea spokesperson, she said another key goal is to make the council more accessible to citizens — by communicating policy in clearer, more approachable terms and expanding public engagement to build a local council that earns trust.
"I will do my best in livelihood-focused legislative work so that the Seoul Metropolitan Council and the Democratic Party of Korea become institutions that citizens love," Choi said. "I will listen to citizens' voices first, and devote all my energy to creating changes they can feel and building a council they can trust."
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
