Oh Se-hoon Begins 5th Term as Seoul Mayor, Focusing on 'A Seoul Where Youth Can Dream'

Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who has become the first person in history to be elected to five terms as mayor of Seoul, signaled the start of his 9th elected administration today (July 1) at his inauguration ceremony, emphasizing five key tasks: a fair society for the 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: <A Seoul where youth can dream again>, <A Seoul where everyone is healthy>, <A Seoul without housing worries>, <A Seoul that is connected faster>, and <A Seoul where local alleys thrive>.

Mayor Oh, who dedicated the largest portion of his inaugural address to youth policy, said, "For young people to challenge themselves to the fullest, they must have opportunities to learn, a home to stay in, and a safety net to help them stand up again."

He continued, "However, today's youth are facing greater pressure for survival than ever before amidst the reality of changing job markets, technological shifts, and high housing costs. There is no greater crisis for the Republic of Korea than the lack of belief that one can live well if they work hard honestly, and the lack of conviction that opportunities will open up if they take on challenges."

Mayor Oh pledged, "I will build a Seoul where people can grow as much as they strive and be recognized for their actual abilities. I will ensure that no one is left behind by technological advancement. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will guarantee basic AI (artificial intelligence) 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 compete based on their skills, regardless of their background."

Furthermore, Mayor Oh vowed to complete the '10-minute exercise city' project, where citizens can exercise to their heart's content 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 'a subway station within 10 minutes of my home' 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.

Mayor Oh emphasized, "Every policy of the 9th elected Seoul administration will be evaluated solely based on the lives of its citizens. I will work with the mindset that results not felt by the citizens are not true achievements."

He added, "Seoul becoming a global TOP 3 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 a city 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.

The event also included a sequence where citizens who rarely visit City Hall and individuals who have cooperated with the city administration were invited to tour the building and share the vision and direction of the 9th elected administration.

While this is the fifth time Mayor Oh has begun a term as Seoul Mayor, this is the first time he has held an inauguration ceremony at City Hall.

His first and second inauguration ceremonies were held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. The third, in 2021, was held online at a video studio in the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fourth inauguration ceremony was also held online after the planned event was canceled due to heavy rainfall.

Mayor Oh visited various event venues within City Hall at 9:30 a.m. today for a 'visiting citizen greeting' to meet with citizens before moving to the main venue to take the oath of office.

The inauguration ceremony also featured segments sharing the experiences of citizens who entered university through 'Seoul Learn' and youth who found jobs as developers after completing the Youth Career Training Academy, as well as an event where a 'wish box' containing the wish cards of attendees was delivered to Mayor Oh.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.