On the 24th, Democratic Party of Korea Busan mayoral candidate Chun Jae-soo said in an interview with ChosunBiz that rival People Power Party candidate Park Heong-joon's administration was a "time of losing the way and wandering." Chun said, "Right now in Busan, young people are leaving, industry is losing vitality, and citizens' lives are getting tougher," adding, "Busan now needs not a caretaker mayor who only tries to maintain the status quo, but a dynamic mayor who actually brings in corporations and jobs and changes the board of the city."
Chun cited "a mayor who gets things done" and "political efficacy" as his strengths. He said, "If my life can improve and if Busan can actually change, more people say they will support (Chun Jae-soo)," adding, "Citizens now want a 'Busan mayor who gets things done,' and I can feel that expectation vividly on the ground."
He also asked for support for Democratic Party candidate Ha Jung-woo, who is running in the Busan Buk-gap by-election, which had been his constituency. Chun said, "Even if Chun Jae-soo is elected Busan mayor, if Ha Jung-woo does poorly, Busan will be left without a single ruling-party lawmaker," adding, "To carry out the Busan mayoralty smoothly, Ha Jung-woo needs to be elected to serve as a bridge with the ruling party."
The following is a Q&A with candidate Chun Jae-soo.
-What are Busan citizens saying?
"I feel that the trust in Chun Jae-soo, built up diligently over the past 10 years, is quite strong. There is no distance between Chun Jae-soo and Busan citizens. When I offered my final thanks in Buk-gap, everyone said, 'Jaesoo.' They don't see me as a lawmaker, a Minister, or a politician. And there is also the belief that if you entrust Chun Jae-soo with a task, he will do it as well as he is entrusted. I think residents of Buk-gu have pride that 'we raised Chun Jae-soo.' I felt that I work hard, and rather than being a politician, the trust and confidence built from living among citizens are solid."
-What are Chun Jae-soo's strengths?
"Since the Lee Jae-myung administration took office, citizens do not view politics only through ideology or camps. Whether they supported the president or not, everyone acknowledges that 'he gets at least one thing done well' and 'delivers tangible results.' The key is 'political efficacy.' If my life can improve and if Busan can actually change, more people say they will support (Chun Jae-soo). Citizens now want a 'Busan mayor who gets things done,' and I can feel that expectation vividly on the ground. This change will be a turning point that reverses Busan's headwinds."
-What made you decide to run for Busan mayor after serving as Minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries?
"Busan is in crisis now. Young people are leaving and industry is losing vitality. The next 10 or 20 years are a crucial crossroads that will determine Busan's destiny. Amid the vast currents of the Arctic route era, the reorganization of global supply chains, and the great transition of the maritime industry, Busan has an opportunity to take off again. There was a strong sense of crisis that if we miss this golden time, Busan could fall into deeper stagnation.
The decisive reason for my decision to run was the citizens. Citizens I met on the ground said, 'Please revive Busan,' 'Please keep young people from leaving.' I will complete "maritime capital Busan," reopen Busan's future, and place Busan at the center of Korea's maritime strategy. I actually brought change to Busan, including the transfer of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan, the relocation of the headquarters of shipping corporations such as HMM, and the establishment of a specialized maritime court."
-What changes will the transfer of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and HMM's headquarters bring to Busan?
"HMM is the largest national-flag carrier in Korea and the world's eighth-largest container carrier, with last year's revenue alone reaching 10.8914 trillion won. If you add the revenue of SK Shipping and H-LINE Shipping, which have already relocated to Busan, it totals about 14 trillion won, on par with Busan's entire budget. Moving a headquarters is not just about a few offices coming down; it is a change in the industrial ecosystem that simultaneously drives jobs and the local economy.
Relocating shipping corporations' headquarters is only the beginning. Now we must also cluster financial and investment functions so the corporations gathered in Busan can grow even bigger in the global market. We will swiftly establish the Southeast Region Investment Corporation, which will have an investment fund of about 50 trillion won. Strategic, focused investments will be made in Busan's future industries, such as expanding port infrastructure for the Arctic route era, building a ship repair yard, constructing AI-based logistics systems, and fostering unicorn corporations."
-We're curious about your plans to revive Busan's economy.
"Immediately upon taking office, I will set up the Busan Livelihood Safety Special Headquarters under the direct control of the mayor and launch a 100-day emergency action for Busan livelihoods. The current Busan city budget has its priorities reversed. It is spending 110 billion won to build the Busan branch of the Pompidou Center and more than 10.5 billion won for three days of performances by a foreign opera troupe. People's livelihoods come before flashy showcase projects."
-How do you assess your rival, Park Heong-joon?
"It is true that among Busan citizens there is a cool-headed assessment that these were 'five years of losing the way and wandering.' Right now in Busan, young people are leaving, industry is losing vitality, and citizens' lives are getting tougher. Busan's biggest problem is that there is no clear direction for where the city should go. Busan needs not a 'caretaker mayor' who only tries to maintain the status quo, but a dynamic mayor who actually brings in corporations and jobs and changes the board of the city. With the youthful energy of a prepared person in their 50s, I will make Busan's heart beat again."
-There is also strong interest in the Busan Buk-gap by-election.
"I have directly observed candidate Ha Jung-woo. At the Blue House, he was regarded as the person who works best and, at the same time, the most considerate and diligent. Of Busan's 18 lawmakers, I was the only one from the ruling party. There is symbolism in being the only one, and if the result is not good, it will be quite painful. Even if Chun Jae-soo is elected Busan mayor, if candidate Ha's result is not good, Busan will not have a single ruling-party lawmaker. To do the job well as Busan mayor, at least one person needs to serve as a bridge to the ruling party."
-When the allegations of receiving money from the Unification Church broke, you flew 15 hours and resigned immediately.
"At the time of my resignation, I was torn between two options: to break through head-on while resigning, or to keep my post and break through head-on. My final conclusion was that, with the weighty task of transferring the MOF still ahead, stepping down and pushing through head-on was my duty as a Cabinet member. The transfer of the MOF to Busan, HMM's headquarters relocation, the specialized maritime court, and the Southeast Region Investment Corporation were all designed by Chun Jae-soo. It would make no sense for such matters to be buried by my personal issue. So I believed resigning and breaking through head-on was the right course."
☞Who is Chun Jae-soo
Born in Uiryeong, South Gyeongsang Province, he graduated from Mandeok Elementary School, Deokcheon Middle School, and Gudeok High School in Busan, and majored in history education at Dongguk University. Under the Participatory Government, he served as the Blue House's second annex chief and an administrator at the National Situation Room, and in the 2006 fourth local elections, he ran for Buk-gu district chief in Busan but lost. In the 2008 18th National Assembly elections, he also ran as the United Democratic Party candidate for Busan Buk-gu–Gangseo-gu-gap but lost. He was first elected in the 20th National Assembly election, then won consecutive terms in the 21st and 22nd, becoming a three-term lawmaker. Under the Lee Jae-myung administration, he was appointed the inaugural Minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and led the transfer of the MOF to Busan.