Interview with Incheon City Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok
Incheon City Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok has returned after a hiatus of four years. He was the mayor of the city from July 2014 to June 2018 and reelected in June this year. At his inaugural ceremony on July 1, he remarked that the city will turn its huge potential into reality based on the core values of balance, creation and communication. The following is Business Korea’s recent interview with the mayor.
First of all, congratulations on your reelection.
Yoo: My sincere gratitude goes to every citizen in the city. In my first term as the mayor, I focused on dealing with urgent problems, including the city’s daily interest payment of 1.2 billion won. In my second, I will focus on the competitiveness and future potential of the city so that every citizen can be more hopeful and proud of it.
Is your opinion unchanged as to the metropolitan landfill site? What is your plan on an alternative site?
Yoo: Disposal of waste from Seoul and Gyeonggi Province at the site in Incheon will be permanently stopped in 2025 as I repeatedly promised and President Yoon Suk-yeol mentioned. The city will communicate more with the two regions and the Ministry of Environment so that the plan can be fulfilled within four years.
The preparation of the alternative site was already promised seven years ago by the ministry and the three regions. Although the progress has been rather slow due to different opinions, Incheon City will make more effort to complete the preparation. I met with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon in June and July, and we will have more meetings to discuss the matter.
At present, the ministry is moving to take a leading role in the alternative site preparation and the four parties are expected to reach an agreement on how to solve the issue in the near future.
Your first pledge in the current term is Jemulpo Renaissance for old town reinvigoration. What are your specific goals?
Yoo: This project is to build a harbor city with an area of 4.8 million square meters, where another development of Jung-gu and Dong-gu will start. The city is working on a project master plan and the first subproject, Incheon Inner Harbor Dock 1 and 8 redevelopment, will start in 2024 after a feasibility study in 2023.
City officials are communicating more with reporters these days. What is your thought about communication with the press and the public?
Yoo: Undoubtedly, communication with the press, that is, with the public is one of the most important parts for the city. Its officials, including myself, will frequently meet with reporters and people in various ways so that their needs can be better understood and reflected in policies and more information can be provided about what we do.
What are your urgent tasks that require close coordination with the Seoul mayor and Gyeonggi governor in your second term?
Yoo: Incheon, Seoul and Gyeonggi are increasingly becoming a megalopolis and they have a lot of common tasks in terms of municipal administration, including GTX construction and subway and bus service extension, not to mention political, industrial and cultural issues requiring joint efforts.
I had a meeting with the mayor and the governor on July 23 and we agreed to work together for common good with political orientations left aside. We will have regular monthly meetings to cover every regional issue and choose the best for the metropolitan area.
What do you want to say to citizens?
Yoo: The local government is working closely with the central so that the city can become an even better place to live in. At the same time, Incheon city officials are working hard for more contact with citizens and better administration.
The local government will pursue balance between old and new areas and between socially vulnerable groups and the rest. Its projects including Jemulpo Renaissance and New Hong Kong City will make the city even more prosperous. My top priority in the entire blueprint will always be citizens.