"We lifted the Songtan water supply source protection zone after 45 years, removed the overlapping restriction on the waterfront zone that had been in place for 25 years, and brought in a national semiconductor industrial complex, among many other things. I felt more fulfilled than at any other time in the past."
Lee Sang-il, mayor of Yongin Special City, registered as a candidate for the June 3 local elections on the 23rd and shared reflections on his four years in office on his social media. Before registering, Lee also visited each office in City Hall to greet employees.
With the registration, Lee is entering a full-fledged campaign. Ryu Gwang-yeol, Yongin's first vice mayor, will serve as acting mayor.
Lee said, "Serving as mayor is grueling, but campaigning is even harder," adding a declaration of candidacy: "I have to walk that rough road again."
Lee said, "I have done many things working as a reporter, National Assembly member, and professor, but performing the duties of mayor was the hardest," adding, "Still, because we achieved so much, I felt more fulfilled than ever before."
He added, "The many accomplishments and changes were the result of joining forces not just by the mayor but with city officials and executives and employees at partner institutions," and said, "I drew a lot of energy from the colleagues I worked with. I will use that as momentum and give my all through Election Day."
Since taking office, Lee has delivered policy results including lifting the Songtan water supply source protection zone; attracting a national semiconductor industrial complex to Yongin for Samsung Electronics; designating specialized clusters for national high-tech strategic industries, such as the SK hynix semiconductor cluster general industrial complex; creating a semiconductor-specialized new city in Idong-eup; and resolving the issue of the Korea National Police University site.
On this, Lee said, "Citizens who love Yongin know well who worked themselves to the bone for the city and its people over the past four years, what that person did, and what results were achieved," adding, "If you carefully weigh and compare the backgrounds and capabilities of the mayoral candidates to see who will better serve Yongin, you will find the wise answer."
He added, "Even when buying goods, people compare and weigh products, so it is only proper and right to scrutinize, compare, and weigh when choosing the mayor who will lead Yongin, a special city of 1.1 million."
Nominated as the People Power Party candidate, Lee will face Hyun Geun-taek, who secured the Democratic Party of Korea nomination, in the general election.