Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin: "I Declined Representative Jang Dong-hyeok's Offer to Campaign... Jang Should Resign and Hold National Convention"

[Ju Yeong-jin's News Briefing]

When quoting this interview, please credit the program name 'SBS <Ju Yeong-jin's News Briefing>'. Copyright belongs to SBS.

■ Broadcast: SBS <Ju Yeong-jin's News Briefing> Mon–Fri (14:00–15:20)
■ Host: Anchor Ju Yeong-jin
■ Guest: Shin Sang-jin, Mayor of Seongnam
--------------------------------------------

● Interview with Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin
"During the campaign, there was an atmosphere saying 'Don't let Jang Dong-hyeok come'... There was a proposal, but I declined the visit"
"Intolerable level of squabbling over positions among the People Power Party leader and leadership"
"PPP must present a timetable for overall innovation and change"
"Housing supply must be increased... More supply should be released in the capital region"
"Holding tax increases must be approached cautiously… Simply increasing them is not the answer"
"Seongnam City pushes for welfare initiatives, including a 1 million won seed-money Baby Fund for newborns"
"Seongnam City strengthens medical services… Prepares to implement end-of-life care at home"
"Seongnam City will fulfill its responsibility to become the 'Standard of South Korea'"
--------------------------------------------

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: It's time for today's interview. Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin is here with us. Welcome.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: Hello.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: You were inaugurated again on July 1, correct?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: It has been a month now.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: How do you feel? Doesn't the previous local election already feel like a distant memory? How is it for you?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: Well, for me, as this continues from the 8th popular election and my past four years in office, personally it doesn't feel like a completely new situation. I'm just continuing to diligently take care of what I was doing.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: During the last local election, didn't you feel personally that it would be a difficult race?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: It was very tough. There was government-influenced electioneering as well.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Government-influenced electioneering.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport came to help the opposing candidate, while not meeting me, the mayor. Things like that. Also, a very small section of the media reported early on that the other side was leading in opinion polls, which had a side that favored them in various ways. And several local organizations gathered around whichever side seemed advantageous. Everything was under difficult conditions, but regardless, I think the citizens gave a positive evaluation of what I have done over the past four years. There were also many negative opinions about government real estate policies. In Seongnam, there were dark political incidents like the Daejang-dong case and organized crime allegations, and I think the citizens' desire that such things should never happen again was reflected in the vote.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: What Mayor Shin Sang-jin just mentioned, my original intention behind the question was slightly different. Because former President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached due to the declaration of emergency martial law, President Lee Jae-myung was elected in the newly held presidential election, the People Power Party carried the stigma of being a "rebellion party," and the election was held at a time when the President's approval rating was quite high—wasn't there a widespread expectation that it would be a difficult election? That was what I was asking.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: That situation was the same nationwide, and perhaps that's why voters voted based on the individual rather than the party. In Gyeonggi Province, many people seem to have voted for Governor Choo Mi-ae, while here in Seongnam City, voters voted heavily for me, the PPP candidate, for mayor. So I feel that in this election, more than any other election, people voted for the person rather than the party.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Understood. Regarding the Daejang-dong case you mentioned, investigations or trials were underway and then halted.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: I understand that the appellate trial for the first-instance ruling—where the decision was made to waive appeal—will likely open soon. Also, regarding our application for provisional attachment which revealed empty accounts, that remains stalled as it is, and we are preparing to file a main lawsuit regarding the provisional attachment we placed on the real estate of those involved in the property scheme.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Regarding the organized crime case, allegations of involvement were raised, but I should add that the Supreme Court previously ruled that there was no evidence of involvement, which led to demands for apologies and corrections. Looking back at this past election, was it thoroughly a campaign run by Mayor Shin Sang-jin himself, or was there organized support at the party level from the People Power Party? Did Representative Jang Dong-hyeok come to campaign for you?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: As a matter of fact, there was a proposal at the working level asking if he should come campaign. But when I went around campaigning, residents were saying, "Tell Representative Jang Dong-hyeok not to come." That kind of sentiment was especially strong in the Bundang area. I even met some people who said they were originally conservative but were going to give up voting this time because of Representative Jang Dong-hyeok. Seeing that public sentiment was bad, I politely asked him not to come. So he didn't come even once. Also, in my case, rather than relying on the central party, I strongly wanted to be judged on what I had done so far and my vision for the future, so not many politicians from the central party visited.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Moreover, Mayor Shin, you haven't just been a head of a local government as Seongnam Mayor; how many terms did you serve as a member of the National Assembly in that constituency?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: I served four terms in Seongnam's Jungwon District.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Exactly. A four-term lawmaker and a medical doctor. You have quite a unique background.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: As a student and in my youth, I also engaged in the labor movement.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Exactly.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: And civic activism.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Didn't people evaluate that you originally should have joined the Democratic Party?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: There were talks from the Democratic Party asking me to join. But originally, I didn't particularly like practical politics. Then I received a recruitment offer from the former Grand National Party, and after much thought, I ran for office. Even though it was an opposition party back then in 2004, I thought I could positively influence health and welfare policies through the opposition, and that's how I entered practical politics.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: It seems human destiny cannot be determined by will alone.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: Certain results come about when various circumstances align with one's usual thoughts.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: You didn't intend to do practical politics.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: I tried not to.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: But as it turned out...

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: I didn't like politicians.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Yet you became one of those politicians you didn't like.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: And I've been in politics for a long time now.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: In this election—let me ask one more question before moving on to Seongnam City matters. Even though you are a local government head, you are the mayor of a major city in the metropolitan area and a four-term former lawmaker. Don't you feel the need to voice your opinion regarding internal issues in central politics and the People Power Party?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: Since I just went through an election and it hasn't been long since I took office, and given my position as a local government head, I haven't raised my voice loudly. However, in the past, regarding issues such as constitutional amendment or the medical doctor issue—specifically the doctor quota increase during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration—I wrote critical posts about my stance on social media. Although reported by some media, it was not covered extensively. Going forward, for my party to serve the nation—and after all, a political party exists to gain power, doesn't it?—seeing a situation where people seem more fixated on the party leadership position, clinging to power and engaging in power struggles rather than aiming for governance, has brought me to a point where I can hardly tolerate it anymore. The worries of the public and those who love our party are immense. Therefore, I have recently come to realize deeply that I must responsibly play a role in reforming the party by gathering public opinion and party sentiment.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: The issue of Representative Jang's position has been a major point of contention. It seems to be calming down somewhat, but what are your thoughts, Mayor?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: I feel it is very unfortunate for our party right now that whenever anyone criticizes Representative Jang's leadership or related issues, no matter how constructive the criticism is, it gets framed into a binary logic as if one is supporting Lawmaker Han Dong-hoon. So I am very cautious with my words. But with the party lacking proper policies to this extent and the position of Policy Committee Chairman currently vacant, failing to wage a proper fight against things done by the ruling party shows that being an opposition party isn't just about this. In this regard, I believe the party needs to change entirely. So I hope Representative Jang resigns—not just stepping down, but considering holding a national convention to signify a complete renewal, transformation, and innovation. They should present a timetable or make efforts for such an alternative, but just pushing forward as is would not be right toward our people. That is why I am worried, feel a sense of responsibility, and think I must do something.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Recently, wasn't there a national town hall debate on real estate policy at the Blue House? And following that, reports have been emerging that the direction has been set toward strengthening holding taxes even at the risk of political loss. What are your thoughts on this strengthening of holding taxes, Mayor Shin Sang-jin?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: I believe that the purpose of the state collecting taxes from the public is not tax collection itself, but rather addressing the needs of citizens from various aspects. Holding taxes and loan regulations—these problematic real estate policies of the current administration—need to be viewed comprehensively. First, as mayor of a city with a population of over 900,000 like Seongnam, housing supply is extremely important.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Housing supply is important.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: The key is how to increase supply. Even in Seongnam alone, there are development restriction zones (greenbelts) and unnecessarily designated tied-up areas. Those need to be eased and released. Also, regarding transportation issues—in Korea, we build houses first and address transportation later, which causes massive civil complaints. We need to handle housing and supply in the capital region with comprehensive urban planning. In Bundang, 98,000 households need to undergo reconstruction as part of old city reconstruction, but the volume is being restricted. The reason given for limiting the volume is for the city to secure housing supply, but how can the city secure it on such narrow land? Unless the government lifts development restriction zones, we cannot do it. Along with comprehensive housing supply issues, reconstruction of first-generation planned cities, and tax matters, holding tax views may differ regarding owning multiple homes for rental. However, imposing heavy holding taxes on someone just for owning one prime property is not the solution. That is easy; it's an easy policy. I think we need to look at it comprehensively and act with caution.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: I hope Seongnam City actively raises its voice on these matters so that government policies can take them into account and produce the best outcome.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: We will do so.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: The '1 Million Won Seed-Money Baby Fund for Newborns' and 'End-of-Life Care at Home'—these seem to be policies Mayor Shin Sang-jin is promoting in Seongnam City this time?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: These were campaign promises of mine. We are preparing to implement them. The Baby Fund addresses asset formation inequality and income disparity in our country; when a child is born, 1 million won is deposited into an account, which is invested in blue-chip stocks or ETFs so it can be withdrawn when the child turns 18.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Does Seongnam City provide it?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: Yes. About 4,500 babies are born a year in our city, so we can do it with 4.5 billion won. 4.5 billion won every year. Then when they become young adults, having a significant sum of tens of millions of won...

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Nobody knows how much that money will grow.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: We manage it at the city level, not the individuals themselves. So there is that, and another is enabling people to pass away at home at the end of their lives. That has been a very important project for us since last year.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: These days, most people pass away in hospitals.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: Not even hospitals, but nursing homes in poor environments. When I ask seniors, they all say they want to pass away at home. So if they are to pass away at home, what is needed most is medical service. How to provide end-of-life medical services for painful conditions like late-stage cancer. For that, house calls are necessary. That's why our public health center specifically hired two house-call doctors. Another thing is that under national policy, caregiving services are capped at a maximum of 4 hours a day, but we plan to allow 10 or 20 hours a day for those who need it—where those with means pay and can pass away at home, and for those without means, the city provides financial support—so people can pass away in their familiar homes. A few developed countries are already doing this. In South Korea, there is too little interest in it, although a law on integrated care was enacted to take effect starting March this year. But doing this simultaneously nationwide would leave many deficiencies and lack infrastructure, so leveraging the strengths of a local government, we are preparing to implement a model program for end-of-life care at home.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Understood. Is this '1 Million Won Seed-Money Baby Fund for Newborns' currently in effect, or is it going to be implemented?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: That was a campaign promise I made, and we are currently preparing it.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Around when will it be implemented?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: Starting next year, as we prepare...

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: So if you have a baby in Seongnam, a 1 million won fund. Understood.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: Moving to Seongnam brings many good things. Flu vaccines are also free for all citizens.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Understood. I heard you recently visited New York at the invitation of the UN. What kind of invitation was it?

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: Last year in November, at the LivCom Awards held by a UN body in Istanbul, Türkiye, we won the top award. Seongnam City received a Silver Award where no Gold Award was given. Because of that, we were invited to Bangkok in March this year, and next March, the UNCRD (UN Centre for Regional Development) Asia General Assembly will be held in Seongnam City. Following that, the UN invited us to the High-Level Political Forum at headquarters, where I thoroughly presented Seongnam's case.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Seongnam is a global exemplary case.

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: At any rate, taking office in the 9th popular term, we set our catchphrase slogan as 'Seongnam, the Standard of South Korea' and intend to fulfill our responsibilities.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: "Dae-Gi Seongnam," then—"Seongnam, the Standard of South Korea."

▶ Shin Sang-jin / Mayor of Seongnam: The abbreviation sounds good.

▷ Ju Yeong-jin / Anchor: Understood. That was an interview with Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin. Thank you for your time today.

※ For more details, please check the video.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.