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Park pledges to expand welfare programs for residents By Kim Rahn Park Won-soon was officially sworn in as mayor of Seoul Wednesday in an unprecedented inauguration ceremony that was held in his office and broadcast online. Every citizen connected to the internet could see what his office looks like, what books he reads, what paintings are hung on the wall, and even where he takes a nap, as he showcased his office. In the offbeat inauguration, Park appeared before the camera in front of his office at City Hall at 11 a.m. “Welcome, citizens who are taking part in the world’s first online inauguration,” the mayor said. The event started with a tour of his office — the first time for a Seoul mayor to make show his office to the public since the first inauguration in 1946. During the housewarming party-like session, Park first showed a wall covered with post-its on which citizens wrote their wishes during his election campaign. He read some of them, such as: “I can’t marry because the house prices are too high” and “I hope we can have more fruit included in the school lunch.” “I’ll look at them every day and try to reflect them in policies,” he said. Bookcases lined the other three walls. Two of the bookcases leaned in opposite directions with several shelves connecting them in the middle. “This symbolizes polarization. Korean society is divided by ideology, generation and region. As the shelves help maintain balance, I’ll try to become a mayor who can mediate conflicts,” Park said. A couple of paving stones were also visible. Local authorities change paving stones at the end of almost every year, as they can get the same or more budget from the government the next year when spending the remainder of this year’s budget. “I’ll not have tax funds wasted on paving stone changing construction,” the mayor said, adding his bookcases were all made of recycled materials. At the table in the middle of the office where he has meetings with city officials, he showed a chair labeled “citizen-mayor’s chair.” “When I work, I imagine a citizen is watching me. I also plan to invite citizens as ‘mayor for a day’ and have them sit here and share ideas with us,” he said. A very private part of the office was also toured: a resting space attached to the office with a toilet bowl, a shower booth and a bed. “With the bed, I’m tempted to work all night. But if I do that, other officials won’t be able to go home, either, so I’m trying not to.” ‘Welfare mayor’ After the office tour, he introduced the vice mayors and leaders of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, pledging cooperation with the council. He sang the national anthem with them and took the oath of office. In the inaugural address, the mayor said welfare is not a favor but a citizen’s right. “Welfare is investment into humans and the future with the highest interest rate. It is not a matter of either welfare or growth. For the last 10 years, we saw that growth brings welfare and welfare leads to growth,” he said. On the city government’s website which broadcasted the inauguration, citizens began posting supportive and congratulatory messages for the mayor through various social network service channels even before the ceremony started. Park displayed some of the messages on an iPad. After the online ceremony, Park went out to Deoksu Palace next to the City Hall to meet offline Seoul citizens. Hundreds of citizens welcomed the mayor, applauding and taking photos of him. “I’ll try to listen to citizens and solve their troubles. If I do something wrong, you can come here and hold demonstrations,” he said. Dozens of people, mainly those facing eviction from their homes in urban redevelopment projects, also tried to make appeals to Park about their housing troubles.
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| rahnita@koreatimes.co.k |
