"I will restore public trust and build an assembly that delivers results"
Kang pledges stronger scrutiny of Seoul Metropolitan Government budgets, legislation and administration
Vows to strengthen standing committee operations and expand policy support
Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kang Dong-gil of the Democratic Party of Korea, representing Seongbuk District 3, has declared his candidacy for speaker of the 12th council's first half.
Kang, who currently chairs the council's Urban Safety and Construction Committee, released a statement Monday laying out his core vision of "an assembly where lawmakers deliver results," pledging to center operations on individual members and strengthen the council's professional oversight of Seoul city administration.
He defined the speaker's role as "a position that supports lawmakers so they can fully exercise their capabilities," and said he would build a structure in which the energy of first-term members and the experience of veterans combine to produce results for the assembly as a whole.
Kang said he would strengthen the council's scrutiny of major Seoul Metropolitan Government policies and large-scale projects. He said oversight of city administration should not be mere criticism but a process of carefully reviewing budgets, legislation and administrative procedures while offering alternatives — and that the larger the budget committed to a project, the more rigorous the council's monitoring and verification must be.
Kang cited the Han River bus project, the Garden of Gratitude development, the missing rebar issue at GTX-A's Samsung station, and the Seosomun overpass collapse as examples, pledging to strengthen pre- and post-implementation review systems for major policies and infrastructure projects.
He also said the council must not stop at assigning blame after an incident occurs, but must closely examine every stage of a project — from budget planning and design through construction and safety management — before problems arise.
A former certified judicial scrivener, Kang has served on the 10th and 11th Seoul Metropolitan Councils, handling ordinances, budgets and administrative procedures. He has also served as policy vice chairman and senior vice chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, as well as chair of the Urban Safety and Construction Committee.
Drawing on that experience, he outlined plans to strengthen assembly operations centered on standing committees. He said he would expand data provision and policy support so each committee can fully apply its expertise, and use that foundation to sharpen oversight of the executive branch.
Kang also identified communication and cooperation among lawmakers as a key priority. He said that regardless of political positions or levels of experience, members must be able to work together in the interest of citizens, and pledged to foster a productive assembly culture through thorough debate and consensus-building.
"Public trust must be proven through results," Kang said. "I will build a capable assembly that holds the executive branch accountable before the citizens, and a Seoul Metropolitan Council where lawmakers are judged by what they achieve."
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
