Oh Se-hoon Begins Historic 5th Term as Seoul Mayor, Prioritizing Youth Policy

▲ Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon greets citizens during his inauguration ceremony held at Seoul City Hall on July 1.

Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who has achieved a historic fifth term as the mayor of Seoul, signaled the start of his 9th popularly elected administration today (July 1) by emphasizing five key tasks: a fair society for youth, citizen health, resolving housing shortages, transportation innovation, and the recovery of people's livelihoods.

During the inauguration ceremony held at City Hall this morning, Mayor Oh expressed his thoughts on beginning his fifth term, stating, "I am well aware that five choices come with five times the responsibility. Today, I stand here carrying that heavy responsibility."

He outlined his administrative goals as follows: Seoul where youth can dream again, Seoul where everyone is healthy, Seoul without housing worries, Seoul that is connected faster, and Seoul where local alleys thrive.

Mayor Oh dedicated the largest portion of his inaugural address to youth policy.

"For youth to challenge themselves to the fullest, they must have opportunities to learn, a home to stay in, and a safety net to stand back up," he said.

He continued, "However, today's youth are facing greater survival pressures than ever before amidst changes in the job market, technological transitions, and high housing costs. If there is no belief that working hard leads to a good life, and no conviction that taking on challenges opens up opportunities, there is no greater crisis for the Republic of Korea than that."

Mayor Oh pledged, "I will build a Seoul where people can grow as much as they strive and be recognized for their abilities. I will ensure that no one is left behind in technological development. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will guarantee basic AI rights for 500,000 young people. By lowering the barriers to learning and utilizing future technologies, I will create a foundation of true fairness where anyone can challenge themselves based on their skills, regardless of their background."

Furthermore, Mayor Oh vowed to complete the "10-minute exercise city" project, allowing citizens to exercise freely within a 10-minute walk from their homes, and to accelerate housing supply by breaking ground on 310,000 units by 2031.

He also announced plans to open an "era of 10-minute subway access from my doorstep" by completing seven urban railway lines, and to revitalize local commercial districts through comprehensive support for small business owners, while ensuring citizens enjoy a more prosperous life.

"All policies of the 9th Seoul municipal administration will be evaluated solely based on the lives of citizens. I will work with the mindset that achievements not felt by the citizens are not true achievements," Mayor Oh emphasized.

He added, "Seoul becoming a global top-three city does not simply mean raising our global city ranking. It means creating a city where people from around the world want to stay, and where citizens want to live for their entire lives."

Today's event was held as an "open inauguration ceremony" to communicate with citizens, utilizing not only the main venue, the City Hall multipurpose hall, but also the first-floor lobby and the Seoul Gallery on the basement level.

While this marks Mayor Oh's fifth term in office, it is the first time he has held an inauguration ceremony at City Hall.

His first and second inaugurations were held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. His third, in 2021, was conducted online at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) virtual studio due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and his fourth inauguration was also held online after canceling planned events due to heavy rainfall.

Meanwhile, ahead of the inauguration ceremony today, Mayor Oh visited the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu with Seoul's vice mayors and 15 district heads to pay his respects and solidify his resolve for municipal governance.

After laying flowers and burning incense, Mayor Oh wrote in the guestbook, "I will build Seoul into a special city with a warmer and healthier quality of life."

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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