On the 1st, when the ninth popularly elected local governments were launched, major metropolitan chiefs processed their first official approval items after taking office or issued their first policy messages. The No. 1 approval carries significant external symbolism as the first approval by a regional leader.
It is because this is the moment that reveals which tasks they will emphasize as they lead city and provincial administrations going forward. It also succinctly shows the pending issues each region must address immediately and the new local governments' policy priorities.
Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul mayor, said at his inauguration ceremony that he would "make Seoul a city without worries about housing." In his address, he mentioned related words 18 times, including house (9), housing (7), and dwellings (2). Although, unlike other major metropolitan chiefs, he did not put forward a separate No. 1 approval item, it is seen as signaling his intent to prioritize policies related to housing.
In the youth policy he presented as the first task in his inaugural address, Oh also emphasized the housing issue. He said, "For young people to challenge themselves to the fullest, they need a place to stay," adding, "But today's young people are facing the pressure of survival amid the reality of high housing costs."
He went on, "Housing is the foundation of quality of life before it is an asset," adding, "For young people, it is a new starting line; for newlyweds, it is the base for planning their future; and for seniors and single-person households, it is everyday peace of mind." The Seoul city government plans to accelerate the supply of dwellings with a goal of starting construction on 310,000 units by 2031.
Gyeonggi Province put the emphasis on strengthening competitiveness in advanced industries. Choo Mi-ae, the Gyeonggi governor, approved as her first item the "K-semiconductor innovation plan for a super-gap in semiconductors." The aim is to complete the world's largest semiconductor ecosystem. The plan also includes building the so-called "Suyongseongpyeongo-i" belt connecting eight cities and counties—Suwon, Yongin, Hwaseong, Seongnam, Anseong, Pyeongtaek, Osan, and Icheon.
It is interpreted as an intention to keep pace with, and not fall behind, the Honam semiconductor investments by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Gyeonggi Province plans to operate a governor's direct strategic committee and a pan-government consultative body to supply semiconductor-related infrastructure in a timely manner.
Incheon, Busan, and the Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special City put people's livelihoods at the forefront. Park Chan-dae, the Incheon mayor, said at a press briefing after his inauguration that his No. 1 approval was "about restoring people's livelihoods." Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo also began his term by holding a policy meeting for his No. 1 pledge, the "100-day emergency measure for livelihoods," in the city hall auditorium.
Min Hyung-bae, the Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special City mayor, approved as No. 1 the "100-day implementation plan for livelihood support and integration for the launch of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified City." Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-wook processed as his first approval item the "plan to advance the 120 Ulsan civil service call center."
Other metropolitan chiefs presented regional pending issues and administrative innovation as top priorities. Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho and North Gyeongsang Governor Lee Cheol-woo will push as key focus projects the Daegu-Gyeongbuk new airport, administrative integration, investment attraction, and industrial structure innovation. North Chungcheong Governor Shin Yong-han approved as his first item the "plan to form the Chungcheongbuk-do fiscal normalization committee" to review the province's fiscal situation.
Some leaders put forward communication-focused administration. South Chungcheong Governor Park Soo-hyun chose the restoration of filial piety and propriety and open communication-based administration as his No. 1 approval. Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jeong signed the "100-day inauguration project" as his first approval and said he would hold a performance presentation in early Oct. Jeonbuk Governor Lee Won-taeg signed "live broadcasts of executive meetings" as his No. 1 approval, pledging transparent communication.