Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Pledges Youth Support in Fifth Term

SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon promised Wednesday to provide more opportunities for the younger generation, who are facing severe economic threats, including drastic changes in the job market, as he began his fifth term at the helm of the city government.

Oh was reelected for a fifth term in the June 3 local elections -- the first such case in South Korea's political history. During his inauguration ceremony held at Seoul City Hall, he delivered five pledges, including providing Seoul's youth with education and housing.

"Today's youths are facing great pressure to survive more than ever before amid rapid job transformations, technological shifts and high housing prices," the newly inaugurated mayor said.

Oh said he would ensure that every young citizen can learn and utilize artificial intelligence (AI) so that no one gets isolated from ongoing technological developments.

"I will make a Seoul where people can grow as much as they work and be recognized solely for their skills," he emphasized.

Oh also promised to supply 310,000 newly built housing units by 2031 and complete urban railway projects to open an era where "a subway station is within a 10-minute walk of every home."

He further pledged to create a city where residents can find a place to exercise within a 10-minute walk from their homes and vowed to revitalize local commercial districts by providing comprehensive support for small business owners.

"Making Seoul a global top three city is not just about raising its international ranking," Oh said. "It means transforming it into a city where global citizens want to visit and where our residents want to live for a lifetime."

Oh previously served his first two terms as the capital's mayor from 2006 to 2011, when he voluntarily stepped down after losing a municipal referendum on a citywide free lunch program.

Following a decadelong hiatus from public office, Oh made a dramatic comeback by winning the 2021 mayoral by-election, stepping into his third term. After finishing his third term and winning reelection in 2022, he served his full fourth term until this year.

"I will work with the mindset that true achievements are only those felt by the citizens," Oh said.