On the 24th, Democratic Party of Korea Busan mayoral candidate Chun Jae-soo said in an interview with ChosunBiz that the administration of rival People Power Party candidate Park Heong-joon was "a period that lost its way and wandered." Chun said, "Right now, young people are leaving Busan, industries are 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 game of the city."
Chun cited "a mayor who gets things done" and "political efficacy" as his strengths. He said, "If people's lives can get better and if Busan can actually change, the trend of supporting (Chun Jae-soo) is growing," 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 district. Chun said, "Even if Chun Jae-soo is elected mayor of Busan, if Ha Jung-woo fares poorly, Busan will be left without a single ruling-party lawmaker," adding, "To smoothly perform the duties of Busan mayor, 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 gave my final thanks in Buk-gap, everyone called out, 'Jae-soo.' They don't see me as a lawmaker, a Minister, or just a politician. And there is also the belief that if you give Chun Jae-soo a task, he delivers as much as he's entrusted. Residents of Buk-gu seem proud that they raised Chun Jae-soo. I felt that I work hard, and rather than being just a politician, the trust built from living among citizens is solid."
-What are Chun Jae-soo's strengths?
"Since the Lee Jae-myung administration took office, citizens no longer view politics only through ideology or camps. Whether they supported the president or not, everyone acknowledges that 'he gets things done' and 'delivers tangible results.' The key is 'political efficacy.' If people's lives can improve and if Busan can actually change, the trend of supporting (Chun Jae-soo) is growing. 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 rewrites Busan's history."
-What led you to 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 industries are losing vitality. The next 10 to 20 years will be a critical crossroads that determines Busan's fate. Amid the great currents of the Arctic route era, the reorganization of global supply chains, and a major transition in the maritime industry, Busan has a chance to leap forward 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 meet on the ground say, '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 have actually made changes in Busan, including the transfer of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan, the relocation of the headquarters of major 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 sales of 10.8914 trillion won last year alone. If you add the sales of SK Shipping and H-LINE Shipping, which have already transferred to Busan, the total is about 14 trillion won, on par with Busan's entire budget. Relocating headquarters is not just about moving a few offices; it is a shift in the industrial ecosystem that simultaneously drives jobs and the regional economy.
Relocating the headquarters of shipping corporations is only the beginning. Now we must also concentrate financial and investment functions so the corporations clustered in Busan can grow bigger in the global market. We will swiftly establish the "Southeast Region Investment Corporation," which will have approximately 50 trillion won in investment resources. We will make strategic, focused investments in Busan's future industries, such as expanding port infrastructure for the Arctic route era, building a ship repair yard, establishing an AI-based logistics system, and fostering unicorn corporations."
-What are your plans to revive Busan's economy?
"Upon taking office, I will establish the 'Busan Civil Livelihood Safety Special Headquarters' under the direct control of the mayor and launch the '100-day emergency measures for Busan livelihoods.' The priorities of the current Busan city budget are misplaced. The city 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 company. Livelihoods come before flashy showcase projects."
-How do you assess your rival, Park Heong-joon?
"It is true that there is a coolheaded assessment among Busan citizens that it has been 'five years of losing the way and wandering.' Right now, young people are leaving Busan, industries are losing vitality, and citizens' lives are getting tougher. The biggest problem for Busan 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 game of the city. With the prepared energy of a 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 personally observed candidate Ha Jung-woo. At the Blue House, he was regarded as the person who worked the best and, at the same time, as 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 mayor of Busan, if candidate Ha fares poorly, 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 allegation of receiving money from the Unification Church broke, you took a 15-hour flight and resigned immediately.
"At the time of my resignation, I was torn between two options: to push through head-on after stepping down, or to keep my post and push through head-on. My final conclusion was that, with the weighty task of the MOF transfer still ahead, stepping down and confronting the issue head-on was the right thing to do as a Cabinet member. The MOF transfer 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 overshadowed by my personal issue. So I believed resigning and pushing through head-on was the right course."
☞Who is Chun Jae-soo
Born in Uiryeong, South Gyeongsang Province, he attended Mandeok Elementary School, Deokcheon Middle School, and Gudeok High School in Busan, and graduated from Dongguk University with a degree in history education. Under the Participatory Government, he served as head of the Blue House Second Secretariat and as an administrator in the Office of National Situation. In the fourth local elections in 2006, he ran for Buk District chief in Busan and lost. In the 18th National Assembly elections in 2008, he also ran as the United Democratic Party candidate for Buk-gu/Gangseo-gu-gap in Busan but lost. He was first elected in the 20th National Assembly elections, then won again in the 21st and 22nd elections to become 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 ministry to Busan.