The "Kim Boo-kyum wind" that swept through conservative stronghold Daegu did not overcome the wall of People Power Party Daegu mayor-elect Choo Kyung-ho. Choo broke through intra-party nomination infighting, legal risk tied to the martial law situation, and the Democratic Party of Korea's Kim Boo-kyum card to win the Daegu mayoral race.
Choo is a politician who began as an economic bureaucrat and served as Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination in the Park Geun-hye administration. He succeeded Park Geun-hye's former constituency in Dalseong, Daegu, and served three terms in the National Assembly, and in the Yoon Suk-yeol administration he served as Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy and Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. After returning to the National Assembly, he led the party as People Power Party floor leader.
However, while serving as floor leader, the Dec. 3 emergency martial law situation of President Yoon Suk-yeol erupted, triggering a political crisis. In the process, Choo was indicted on charges of engaging in important duties related to insurrection, adding to his burden. In this situation, he chose to run for Daegu mayor, seeking a political breakthrough.
The early mood of the race was not easy. Within the People Power Party, a glut of candidates and nomination strife continued, and Daegu public sentiment appeared to waver. On top of this, the Democratic Party put forward Kim Boo-kyum, a candidate with high name recognition in Daegu, making the contest more intense than expected.
But as the campaign entered full swing, the conservative base regrouped. The "Daegu economic recovery" message Choo championed also resonated with voters. In particular, after the 2017 impeachment, former President Park, who had been staying at her private residence in Dalseong County, Daegu, appeared on the stump to support Choo, prompting conservative consolidation. In the final stretch, the former president again campaigned for him at Seomun Market and Suseong Lake, boosting late-breaking voter sentiment.
After taking office, Choo is expected to focus city governance on building the Daegu-Gyeongbuk new airport, administrative integration of Daegu and North Gyeongsang, and revitalizing the regional economy. He has said that relocating the military airport, which is directly tied to national security, is closer to a national affair than a local government matter, and that the new airport should be pursued with the national budget.
Administrative integration of Daegu and North Gyeongsang is also a key pending issue. Lee Cheol-woo of the People Power Party, elected governor of North Gyeongsang, also agrees on the need for administrative integration, raising the possibility that discussions will pick up speed again.
The biggest task is shifting Daegu's industrial structure. Throughout the campaign, Choo defined himself as an "economic mayor," stressing the cultivation of future industries, attracting investment, and restoring the livelihood economy. "From the moment I took my first step as a Daegu mayoral candidate, I promised to become an 'economic mayor,'" he said. "First, the economy; second, the economy; third, the economy. We will pursue the cultivation of future industries, attract investment, and restore the livelihood economy to make Daegu a city where money and people gather again."