On the 22nd, Oh Jung-gi, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for North Gyeongsang governor, said in an interview with ChosunBiz, "I will shift the front line of this local election from the Seoul metropolitan area to Daegu and North Gyeongsang." He aims to make North Gyeongsang the fiercest battleground in this election to have a positive impact on races in other regions.
Oh said she would take the lead, along with Kim Boo-kyum, the Daegu mayoral candidate, in resolving long-standing issues in the Daegu–North Gyeongsang region, including the early start of construction on the TK new airport. She said, "The entire Republic of Korea is changing rapidly under the Lee Jae-myung administration, but only North Gyeongsang remains the same. Residents have begun to worry about matters of survival. A new provincial administration is needed."
-This is your seventh attempt in North Gyeongsang, where the Democratic Party is at a disadvantage. What led you to run?
"I entered politics through senior Kim Geun-tae, and I believe dismantling regionalism is my role. It is hard for the North Gyeongsang region to change all at once. If we endure and grow little by little, I'm sure we will win someday. I feel this is the time to reap that fruit."
-What is the mood on the ground?
"In the southeast centered on Pohang and the west centered on Gumi, expectations are high and the atmosphere is heating up. The north centered on Andong remains difficult, and this area has suffered greatly due to wildfires. Trust in politics itself has fallen. Residents have begun to recognize that this election is a matter of survival."
-I'm curious what kind of synergy you expect with Daegu mayoral candidate Kim Boo-kyum.
"I have worked with Kim Boo-kyum for many years. We often have private phone calls and are thinking together about how to shape the future of Daegu and North Gyeongsang in this election. Regional integration is a key topic; South Jeolla and Gwangju are merging, and Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang are building a megacity. I agree with the principle that Daegu and North Gyeongsang should also merge. If elected, within two years I will work with Kim Boo-kyum to finalize the Daegu–North Gyeongsang integration."
-There is strong interest in the TK new airport.
"Government support alone will not solve it; we must draw in private capital. I'm discussing this with Kim Boo-kyum, and we plan to meet soon and make a declarative announcement together. The existing Daegu Airport should be opened to private use, and the profits generated there should be shifted to the TK new airport. Small companies cannot do this; large corporations must come in. Only when private capital and government support move together can we resolve the TK new airport. I will ensure the TK new airport project starts early."
-North Gyeongsang has a weaker industrial base than other regions. What plan do you have?
"First is Daegu–North Gyeongsang integration. Through integration, we can receive 2 trillion won in fiscal support over four years, 500 billion won each year. It's not just about money; we can also transfer various authorities from the central government and lift multiple regulations. We will promote the transfer of public institutions and expand energy industries such as wind and solar. We will also attract and grow AI-powered data centers and forward-looking, high value-added industries."
-It won't be easy to attract corporations to North Gyeongsang.
"Tax benefits are basic, and we will lease land for factories free of charge and support various infrastructure at the provincial level. We will provide all the living conditions. We will make it so that corporations, literally, only have to bring themselves in. In areas hit by wildfires, one option is to attract high-tech industries that do not harm the environment instead of traditional manufacturing. If related public institutions and small and midsize businesses gather in Andong, we can build a substantial industrial base."
-It's not an easy race. Can you win?
"Many people around me are offering support and encouragement. If that spark properly catches and flares up, we can win. We must shift the front line of this local election to Daegu and North Gyeongsang. Strong candidates are already in place in the Seoul metropolitan area, so we will push the front as far down as possible and make North Gyeongsang the fiercest battleground. If we win this battleground, a new path will open for the Republic of Korea. I ask the people of the Republic of Korea: do not abandon North Gyeongsang. Do not leave North Gyeongsang neglected like an isolated island trapped behind a wall. This election is not only Oh Jung-gi's fight; it is an election in which the people must join together for the future of the Republic of Korea."
☞Who is Oh Jung-gi
Born in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, she graduated from Daedong High School and the philosophy department at Yeungnam University. After graduation, she worked at a news organization. At the recommendation of former Chair Kim Geun-tae, she threw herself into politics and first ran in 2008 in the Buk-gu district of Pohang with the United Democratic Party. She led the North Gyeongsang election committee for Moon Jae-in during his two presidential campaigns and served as the first senior administrative officer at the presidential office in the Moon Jae-in administration. In the 2018 local election, she ran for North Gyeongsang governor and won 34% of the vote.