Gangnam’s district mayor race is less about party lines than about execution. In one of Seoul’s most complex urban environments—where redevelopment, commercial activity, taxation, aging and everyday infrastructure intersect—voters are focused on whether policy can be delivered, not just proposed.
In this interview, Jeon Won-geun, the Democratic Party’s preliminary candidate for Gangnam District Mayor, sets out a framework for shifting Gangnam’s administration from reactive management to a more predictive, system-driven model. His approach links data-based governance with redevelopment execution, housing access, tax burden relief and citizen participation into a single administrative structure.
Smart Governance and a New Administrative Complex — “From reactive service to predictive administration”
You have emphasized that the existing administration, which has remained at the level of civil complaint handling and ex post response, should be transformed into a data-driven, proactive smart administration. You have also proposed building a smart district office and an administrative information complex on the SETEC site. How will these two initiatives actually change Gangnam’s administration, and what changes will residents feel first?
“Data does not lie. If past administrations have been about responding after problems occur, the smart governance I envision is a form of preemptive defense administration that prevents accidents and complaints in advance through data analysis. I will introduce AI-based road damage prediction systems, disaster detection sensor networks and automated reporting systems for everyday inconvenience across all district departments to deliver what I call a zero-defect urban service.”
“The smart district office to be built on the SETEC site will not be a simple government building. It will become a Gangnam-style Silicon Valley and a one-stop integrated administrative information complex, bringing together startup office space, an AI administrative hub and a digital citizen service center in one place. Through this, I will help turn Gangnam into a practical model of a global smart city.”
“Residents will feel the changes immediately. They will no longer need to visit the district office for routine paperwork. Through a mobile one-stop administrative system, civil services will be handled in the palm of their hand. A 24-hour digital service window will offer real-time chatbot-based guidance and processing, including at night and on weekends, and AI will detect road damage or disaster risks in advance so that residents experience a truly seamless urban service.”
Guryong Village Redevelopment — “From political rhetoric to economic logic”
The redevelopment of Guryong Village is both a symbolic policy challenge in Gangnam and one of its longest unresolved issues. What does Jeon see as the main reason for the delay so far, and how does he believe his own approach could move the project forward?
“There are two main reasons for the delay. First, there has been no strong driving force capable of coordinating conflicts among stakeholders, and no rational compensation framework. Second, repeated political promises during election seasons ended without execution, leading to accumulated mistrust among residents. While politics focused on vote calculations, residents’ hardships were left unresolved for decades.”
“I will bring to this issue the experience I gained while managing complex stakeholder interests and risks as standing auditor at the Kaesong Industrial District Foundation. Building a negotiating table, coordinating interests and reaching conclusions — that is the core of my administrative DNA. Based on that, I propose a four-stage solution for Guryong Village redevelopment.”
“First, I will establish an on-site mayor’s office in Guryong Village immediately upon taking office, dispatching a dedicated administrative team and implementing direct, field-based administration. Second, I will introduce a profit-sharing redevelopment model with transparent compensation indicators acceptable to landowners, residents and the public sector alike, so that the conflict structure can be addressed at its root.”
“Third, I will form a one-team cooperation framework with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the central government to apply a fast-track approval process, dramatically reducing administrative delays. Fourth, I will pursue overlapping construction phases to enable early groundbreaking and early move-in, with the goal of bringing the occupancy timeline forward by at least two years.”
Aging and Youth Housing Policy — “A Gangnam where caring for parents becomes a source of pride, and families live together”
Jeon has proposed giving priority in general housing allocations and public housing sales to newly married young couples who live with and care for their parents. How would such a policy work in practice, and how would he address fairness concerns from other young people?
“I will introduce a Gangnam-style special housing allocation for filial households, granting additional subscription points or dedicated special allocation quotas to young households that have lived with and cared for their parents for at least three years. Eligibility can be objectively verified through national health insurance dependent registration records and resident registration data showing cohabitation. In addition, I will consider linking this with district job points for young caregivers and priority health check-up benefits.”
“This should not be seen simply as preferential treatment for one group. It should be understood in terms of reducing social care costs. When families care for elderly parents directly, the savings in public healthcare, nursing and care budgets can amount to millions of won per person each year. Returning part of those savings in the form of housing benefits is economically rational.”
“Korea’s current housing subscription system already includes various forms of preferential treatment for households with multiple children, newly married couples and first-time homebuyers. Living with and caring for parents should likewise be understood as a legitimate social incentive attached to an act of public value. This is not about privileging one group. It is an investment in restoring family community and raising the social quality of Gangnam.”
Development, Commercial Revitalization and Tax Relief — “Enhancing vitality while easing burdens”
Jeon has said he would revive commercial districts and attract more visitors by easing regulations around Gangnam Station, Sinsa Station and Samseong Station, while also revitalizing Apgujeong Rodeo. But Gangnam is also a district under heavy redevelopment and commercial pressure, with many residents facing high tax burdens tied to expensive housing. How does he plan to balance development with residential quality and local capacity, and what practical measures does he believe a district mayor can take to reduce residents’ tax burdens?
“The areas around Gangnam Station and Samseong Station should allow high-density commercial and business development, strengthening urban vitality and expanding the local tax base. Apgujeong Rodeo, by contrast, should be protected from the one-sided expansion of large capital and preserved as a locally distinctive commercial district, developing into a global K-culture tourism hub.”
“To balance development with residential quality, I will require that part of the profits from large-scale development projects be set aside in a residential environment improvement fund. That fund will be used to address noise, parking and green space issues in nearby neighborhoods.”
“A district mayor cannot solve every tax issue alone. But I will use every authority available at the district level, and where I do not have authority, I will demand reform from the central government with confidence. Protecting residents’ property rights is one of the mayor’s primary duties.”
“For that reason, I propose four practical measures. First, I will establish a Tax Administration Innovation Task Force directly under the mayor to review existing ordinances and push for revisions immediately. Second, I will make active use of the flexible property tax rate permitted under local tax law to reduce burdens as much as possible within the legal range. Third, I will revise local ordinances on tax relief for owner-occupied single-home households by refining criteria such as length of residence, age and income, in order to protect real end-users. Fourth, I will formally call for central government tax reform that reflects the unique characteristics of Gangnam’s officially assessed property values.”
Everyday Infrastructure — “Nothing is greater than the happiness of daily life”
Jeon’s platform also includes everyday infrastructure projects such as relocating the anti-aircraft battery site at Hakdong Park and undergrounding overhead utility lines in Sinsa-dong. Why did he include these relatively small projects alongside large-scale development pledges, and what significance does he believe they carry for residents’ quality of life?
“If large development projects shape the outer form of a city, then projects like park restoration and undergrounding utility lines clear the city’s arteries. Small inconveniences that residents encounter every day eventually accumulate into a decline in quality of life. I do not believe in politics that promises only big things. I believe in administration that takes responsibility for small things as well.”
“The relocation of the anti-aircraft battery site at Hakdong Park would fully return a space that has been inaccessible to residents for decades. I would redesign it as a children’s playground, exercise space and community garden, effectively giving Hakdong Park back to residents. The undergrounding of overhead utility lines in Sinsa-dong would also reduce the risks of lightning and fire, improve pedestrian safety and help create a street environment that matches Gangnam’s urban standing.”
“These changes are not optional conveniences. They are part of the basic living environment Gangnam residents should rightfully enjoy. My slogan has been that the district mayor should deliver the benefits of central government policy right to residents’ doorsteps. The small sense of comfort people feel when stepping outside their homes is itself a measure of administrative competence. I will also launch a digital platform for reporting everyday inconvenience, with a goal of resolving at least 50 such issues during my term.”
Civic Participation and Administrative Transparency — “A system where citizens’ voices become the budget”
Jeon has also proposed a citizen-centered model of administration through 300-member citizen assemblies, regular roundtables and stronger neighborhood assemblies. What, in his view, is the key mechanism for ensuring that public input does not stop at consultation but is reflected in actual policy decisions and implementation?
“The key is not simply holding more meetings. It is building an institutional mechanism that connects participation to actual decisions. Matters decided in the 300-member citizen assembly or in neighborhood assemblies will be directly linked to the district’s participatory budgeting system. I will also establish an online policy proposal platform so that once a proposal reaches a certain level of public support, the district government is required to review it officially.”
“I will also institutionalize feedback. For proposals that are accepted, an implementation plan will be disclosed within six months. For those that are not accepted, the reasons will be formally communicated. If citizen participation is to be more than symbolic, decision-making, execution and explanation must all be connected.”
“I will strengthen transparency through a Digital Twin Gangnam platform. Residents will be able to monitor budget execution and policy implementation in near real time, and I will activate a citizen administrative auditor system so that residents themselves can evaluate whether policies are being carried out properly. I will not run an administration in which citizen participation is reduced to a formality. My goal is to build a citizen-sovereign Gangnam in which residents decide, the district government executes, and the results are evaluated together.”
Performance Metrics — “Judge me by results in two years”
If elected, what three criteria does Jeon believe Gangnam residents should use to assess his administration at the two-year mark?
“Two years after taking office, residents should judge me by three indicators.”
“First is redevelopment speed. The key measure will be how much approval timelines for major complexes have been moved forward compared with the original schedule.”
“Second is the perceived tax burden. I should be judged by whether the property tax burden on owner-occupied single-home households has been meaningfully reduced through district-level administrative action.”
“Third is quality-of-life satisfaction. After the introduction of a public senior brain and special-disease medical center and smart governance systems, residents should be able to directly feel whether Gangnam’s safety and care services have become more sophisticated than before.”
“At the two-year mark, I will publish an administrative performance white paper and open these indicators to public verification. I will report transparently to Gangnam residents not only on what promises were kept, but also on which ones were not, and why.”
