(PowerKorea) PowerKorea sat down with Seoul Metropolitan Council member Hwang In-gu who is working hard to activate exchanges between South and North and to find and promote women entrepreneurs.

Q. What are the pending issues of the council at the moment?
A. COVID-19 of course comes first. We also have some other pending issues such as overheating real estate market, public servants speculation on land, and revision of the Local Government Act. So we need to deal with the most urgent issue and move onto according to its urgency in cooperation and in check. 

Q. You are particularly interested in reactivation of exchanges between South and North?
A. I actually led forming the special committee of the council in that regard and together we brought up the Ordinance for Peace and Unification Activation and the Ordinance for Activation of Exchanges between the South and the North. We also laid a foundation for raising exchange fund, visited Panmunjom and sponsored debates on educational exchanges between the two sides.

Q. You are proactively engaged in realization of ‘Innovative Seoul Education’?
A. I am. I’m pleased to say that the city is now covering the tuition fees, meals and entrance preparation cost for high school students in addition to already benefiting middle and elementary school students. Personally, I’m now working on revisions and/or new ordinances of education relating to unification, city-rural exchanges, intellectual property, and ecology. 

Q. What do you think is an advanced form of council and your action about it?
A. The council must serve nobody but the citizens it belongs to. Also the council must bring up and implement plans and actions in which citizens actually feel in daily lives. The council must open its door to all citizens who will make their voice heard. The resolution against the Japan’s attempt to release contaminated Fukushima water to the Pacifica Ocean and the military coup of Myanmar as well as non-GMO meals for school are some of good examples in this regard.

Q. What are your actions in promoting women’s social and economic participation?
A. I always try to find ways to promoting women’s social and economic participation. The SW-Biz Platform of the Korean Women Entrepreneurs Association is a good example alongside running the Women Enterprise Supporting Center. When I first stepped into the council in 2018, I pointed out the importance of gender equality at my work report made September that year. 

Q. Is free meal also provided for children at kindergarten?
A. Not yet. Good news is that Seoul educational superintendent Jo Hee-yeon and Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon mentioned to proceed in speed. Providing quality nutrition to children is very important and it might be a good idea to make the most of locally produced agricultural products. I personally hope the free meal will come into force no later than the year 2022. 

Q. Gangdong District is your constituency. What are the pending issues?
A. Urban regeneration is being actively made at the moment including the rebuilding of Dunchon Jugong Apartment block. The regeneration will cover not only buildings but traffic, environment and public infrastructure. As part of this effort, I have secured 81.8 billion won budget ($73.5 million) for elementary school buildings in and around the complex where 12,000 households will nestle when the rebuilding is done.

Q. How will you make citizens lives happy after the pandemic?
A. I think we need to focus on ‘back to normal’ rather than drawing a big picture that is not realistic. Of course our lives will be different from that of before the pandemic. But we have learned a lesson so we can build better systems to deal with. Meanwhile, we should provide necessary support for students, for examples, through job support, training and cultural programs.

Q. Lastly, what would you like to say to our readers?
A. I have served citizens for 3 years now and I still see many things to solve and improve. I’m here because of the trust citizens have given me and I will duly respond with my utmost effort and hard work. Though we are still in difficult time of the pandemic, I strongly believe we all get it through. I wish all citizens health and prosperity. 

PowerKorea is an official partner of Herald Corporation. The magazine is distributed to the KOTRA business centers in the world. PowerKorea publishes latest news of government, Samsung, Hyundai and LG and endeavors to serve a platform to engage with people around the world.