'I will build Ulsan into a democratic city where basic lives and civic sovereignty are realized'

When Kim Sang-uk ran for Ulsan mayor in the June 3 local elections, he campaigned on the message of "serving citizens as the true owners of the city." The moment he took office on July 1, he acted on that pledge — first by opening the city hall entrance gates that had required identity verification, then by approving a plan to upgrade the city's one-stop complaint resolution service, the "120 Ulsan Civil Affairs Center." It was his first official act as mayor, and a symbolic gesture of his intent to embed civic sovereignty throughout the city's administration.

Kim has set the governing goal of his ninth elected-term administration as "building Ulsan into a democratic city where citizens are the owners." To that end, he places heavy emphasis on on-the-ground administration. He has visited long-stalled urban development sites, construction zones for new intersections, bus stops sweltering in the summer heat, the Hoehya Reservoir — the city's drinking water source, where an algae Alert had been issued — illegal waste dumping sites, and even fire scenes. He sees conditions firsthand, hears from residents, and then makes policy decisions.

For Kim, who has reinvented himself from a political newcomer into an administrator, nothing is more valuable than being on the ground. He entered the National Assembly representing the People Power Party after winning a seat in the 2024 general election, then changed his party affiliation following the Dec. 3 emergency martial law crisis that year. Opinions were divided — some called him a traitor, others a politician of conviction — but in just two years in politics he had undergone his most dramatic transformation yet. The Herald Business sat down with Kim on Friday to hear what kind of change he intends to bring to Ulsan's city government. The following is an edited transcript of the interview.

— It has been more than a month since you took office. Now that you have a feel for the administration, how does it differ from your time as a National Assembly member?

▶ A National Assembly member gathers the will of the people and turns it into laws and systems. A mayor executes that will through administrative action. The essence — serving citizens as the owners — is the same. But because administration is directly tied to people's daily lives, the sense of impact feels much greater. When something happens, like the paint warehouse fire in Nam-gu on Aug. 3 or the illegal fill site in Naewari, Duseo-myeon, Ulju-gun, I have to rush to the scene, assess the situation, and work out a response that creates real change in people's lives. That weight of responsibility makes me feel every day how important it is to protect the basics of citizens' lives — public transit, safety, healthcare, education, culture, welfare, and care services. Administration is not about grand projects; it is about getting the fundamentals right. I will run this city on the democratic principle of always listening to citizens and maximizing their interests.

— You have declared your goal of making Ulsan "a democratic city where citizens are the owners."

▶ I want to establish a fair and transparent administrative system — one that discloses information openly and allows citizens to monitor and oversee it. That is the path to realizing democratic values. In the local elections, I ran a campaign with four "nones": no money, no mudslinging, no organization, no campaign vehicles. I wanted to compete cleanly, in the most democratic way possible. If you build a campaign organization, you cannot escape the old politics of promising favors and positions. When various groups start moving politically, it ultimately creates unfair, entangled relationships and entrenched interest cartels.

Whether it is hiring talent for the administration based on connections rather than ability, inviting performers for local festivals on the same basis, or allowing political influence to creep into large organizations like the city sports association — these are all forms of unfairness rooted in personal ties. Dismantling those cartels and building a fair society is what expands citizens' interests. I will raise the fairness and integrity of the administration and get the basics right from the ground up. If necessary, I am prepared to relinquish some of the mayor's own authority and create structures that allow for checks on that power. Unfair structures must be broken down and fairness restored. I am determined to build an Ulsan where citizens' basic lives are enriched and civic sovereignty is realized.

— You reviewed and then resumed the Urban Railway Line 1 (tram) construction project that previous administrations had pursued.

▶ I know it can look like an administrative contradiction. But it was an effort to create time for citizens to decide Ulsan's future with their own hands. Personally, I think the tram project should be stopped. But I cannot make that call based on my own judgment alone — I have to hear from citizens. The problem is that many residents do not have accurate information about the project: how construction will proceed, how lane operations will work once the tram is running, whether the project and maintenance costs are reasonable. Citizens need objective information so they can judge for themselves.

But time is short. Contracts for tram vehicle manufacturing and construction were signed earlier this year, which means I do not have the authority as mayor to halt the project unilaterally. Canceling the contract and paying penalties would carry legal consequences. Under the contract, suspending work beyond 60 days triggers additional costs. We had already used 33 days. The remaining 27 must be held in reserve in case grounds for suspension arise later. That is why I withdrew the work stoppage for now. Before the main construction begins early next year, I will look for a legal basis to pause the project — reviewing the contractual terms and consulting with the central government. The tram project is a critical issue that will shape Ulsan's future. It must be decided by the collective wisdom of its citizens. I want to verify the arguments for and against with objective data and create a forum for thorough public deliberation.

— Your campaign pledge of an "industrial AI transformation (AX)" is becoming a central challenge for Ulsan as an industrial city.

▶ The AI transformation is an unavoidable tide of the times. I believe the next three years are the golden window for Ulsan's industrial revival. We must leverage Ulsan's strengths as an industrial capital — its world-class manufacturing base and skilled workforce — to make it the leading city for demonstrating industrial AX in Korea. This cannot be done by Ulsan alone. It requires close cooperation with the government, other regional governments, top companies, universities, and research institutions nationwide. On July 9, we launched the "Ulsan Industrial AI Transformation (AX) Consortium" with 13 industry, academic, research, and government partners from across the country, including Hyundai Motor, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, SK Energy, Naver Cloud, SK Telecom, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), the University of Ulsan, Chonnam National University, and Kyungpook National University. It was the first step toward making Ulsan the nexus of Korea's industrial AX.

The plan is to collaborate with Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, which excel in foundational AI, and with Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, which excel in physical AI, while developing small-scale language models (sLLM) specialized for manufacturing with Naver Cloud, major conglomerates, and UNIST, and applying them to Ulsan's industrial sites — taking the lead in the final stage of industrial AX: real-world demonstration. The goal is to strengthen the cooperative foundation so that AI technology, talent, and on-site demand are closely connected, and to ensure that AI technologies proven at large companies spread to small and midsize enterprises and their suppliers. Ulsan, as the nation's industrial capital, is the ideal place to lead industrial AX demonstration. I am convinced this will become Ulsan's future competitive edge and, beyond that, a driving force for Korea's industrial development.

— You pledged administrative integration of Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang Province during the June 3 local elections. What is your position on the "Haeoruem Alliance" pursued by your predecessor?

▶ For regions to develop, they need national funding, greater autonomy, and the ability to attract national facilities and projects. Supra-regional cooperation is the most efficient path to achieving that. Government support is also being reorganized around supra-regional units. Under the government's "five supra-regional zones and three special autonomous provinces" strategy, regions that pursue administrative integration or a mega-city arrangement receive large-scale administrative support of 20 trillion won ($14.3 billion) over four years. I therefore believe that Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang mega-city cooperation is absolutely necessary to strengthen regional competitiveness.

Supra-regional cooperation with Pohang and Gyeongju should also be pursued if possible. In reality, however, that is difficult. In the process of pushing for the Daegu-North Gyeongsang integration, an agreement has already been moving forward that would include Pohang and Gyeongju within the North Gyeongsang zone. The realistic approach with Pohang and Gyeongju is to focus on identifying and quickly resolving inconveniences for residents in border areas between the cities, and to deepen practical cooperation. We will work to eliminate administrative blind spots in border areas and cooperate on strengthening urban infrastructure that delivers real benefits to residents' daily lives, such as expanding the regional transportation network.

— Ulsan's population fell by 15,426 over the five years through June.

▶ I believe the best solution to population decline and regional depopulation is also to protect the basics of citizens' lives. If good living conditions — transportation, healthcare, education, welfare — and a strong employment environment are in place, the population problem will resolve itself naturally. As I mentioned, I will create future-oriented jobs through industrial AI transformation and build a startup hub connected not only to Seoul and the greater metropolitan area but also to overseas markets, giving young people the opportunity to take on challenges. I will steadily pursue population policy from a macro perspective that encompasses industry, jobs, and living conditions.

— The government has announced a second round of public institution relocations to the regions. Ulsan is also competing to attract them.

▶ Attracting public institutions is a way for Ulsan to address both its jobs and population challenges at once. Ulsan is already home to the Korea National Oil Corporation, Korea Energy Agency, Korea Energy Economics Institute, and Korea East-West Power. Building on that foundation, attracting additional energy-sector institutions would create a fully integrated energy cluster. If we can also bring in the integrated headquarters of the five state-owned power generation companies that the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy is pursuing, Ulsan can become the central hub of Korea's energy industry. Concentrating institutions linked to Ulsan's industrial base — petrochemicals, hydrogen, nuclear power, and offshore wind and other future energy industries — would create a nationally competitive model. We will make every effort to attract these institutions, leveraging our differentiated residential infrastructure and the compelling case for relocation.

— The opposition holds two-thirds of the seats on the city council. How do you see your relationship with the council?

▶ I will engage in dialogue and cooperate with the city council for the benefit of citizens. Both the mayor and the council exist to serve citizens' interests. Mutual checks and balances should also be directed toward protecting those interests — conflict driven by partisan calculation helps citizens not at all. There should be no situation where work for citizens cannot get done simply because we belong to different parties. I believe the council shares that view. For anything citizens need, I will explain it fully to the council and listen in return. I will reach out first to opposition lawmakers and discuss Ulsan's future together with humility and an open mind.

— The success of the ninth elected-term administration depends on the support of the civil service. What would you like to say to them?

▶ Civil servants are "colleagues" working together for citizens' interests. From the transition team briefings through our time working together since I took office, I have felt a strong will among them to work for the public. The fact that the people I work with carry that spirit is itself a great source of strength for me as mayor.

I believe the civil service shines when it serves citizens as the true owners. That is why I introduced open administration to fulfill citizens' right to know. It may feel like a burden for civil servants. But citizens can only offer opinions and make evaluations when they understand what the administration is doing. I believe that informing civil society accurately and being properly evaluated is what democratic administration looks like. I ask everyone to join in open administration with the mindset that you are reporting to citizens, not to the mayor.

◆ Kim Sang-uk: a career in brief

▷ Born 1980 in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province

▷ 1998: Graduated from Yeongjin High School, Daegu

▷ 2006: Graduated from Korea University, Department of Law

▷ 2012: Master of Laws, Pusan National University School of Law

Passed the first bar examination

▷ 2014: Integrity civic auditor, Korea Human Resources Development Service of Korea

▷ 2015: Legal counsel attorney, Nam-gu District Office, Ulsan

▷ 2018: Local land expropriation committee member, Ulsan Metropolitan City

Representative attorney, Deojeongseong Law Firm

▷ 2019: Integrity civic auditor, Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service

▷ Member of the 22nd National Assembly (Ulsan Nam-gu Gap constituency)

▷ 9th Mayor of Ulsan Metropolitan City