'I will make changes that residents can feel in Mapo-gu'
Election reinforced importance of teamwork and on-the-ground politics
Plans to pursue housing stability, traffic improvements and expanded community infrastructure
"I take seriously the choice of residents who have given me the opportunity to serve again. I will create changes that people can feel in their daily lives."
Lee Min-seok, vice chair of the Seoul Metropolitan Council's Housing and Space Committee and a People Power Party member representing Mapo District 1, shared these thoughts on his reelection in an interview Thursday. He said his top priorities would be advancing redevelopment and reconstruction projects, improving residential environments and resolving everyday complaints from residents, adding that he would drive change in Mapo-gu through close communication with the community.
Lee said the election had been a turning point in his growth as a politician. Where he once tried to handle much of the work on his own, this campaign taught him the value of dividing responsibilities among team members and moving as a single unit.
"Through this election, I confirmed the power of teamwork and gained confidence in my work as a council member," he said, adding that the campaign had given him a fresh appreciation for on-the-ground politics. He said he came to understand that actively conveying his will and vision to residents — not just explaining policy — is a vital part of a politician's role.
'Communication with residents is where local politics begins'
Lee identified sustained communication with residents as the core value of local politics, noting that people care not only about policy results but also about how often their representative visits the community and listens to their concerns.
He said he would go directly to the places where residents live — senior centers, welfare facilities, schools, traditional markets and neighborhood commercial streets — to hear their voices and reflect them in policy. "Listening to residents on the ground and resolving their difficulties is what matters most," Lee said. "I will continue my council work by staying close to residents and hearing what they have to say."
Looking back on the past four years, he cited the advancement of local redevelopment and reconstruction projects and the resolution of everyday resident complaints as his main achievements. Through his work on the Housing and Space Committee, he said he had reviewed administrative procedures for such projects and worked to mediate competing interests among residents.
"Redevelopment and reconstruction involve residents' lives and assets, so it is important that projects are not delayed unnecessarily," he said. "I have worked to coordinate diverse resident opinions so that projects can move forward smoothly."
He also pointed to improvements in mobility facilities for hillside neighborhoods and the easing of traffic inconveniences as meaningful accomplishments in expanding community infrastructure, saying he had focused particularly on delivering changes that residents could actually feel.
'Redevelopment projects and housing stability will raise Mapo's competitiveness'
For the next four years, Lee said his focus would be on housing stability and the smooth progress of redevelopment and reconstruction projects. "It is important to accelerate these projects while also mediating resident conflicts and identifying potential problems before they arise," he said. "Drawing on the experience I have built up, I will lead improvements to the residential environment in the area."
He also outlined plans to play an active role in ensuring that the benefits of surrounding development projects translate into growth for Mapo-gu, which he noted enjoys a geographic advantage as a link between Yongsan and Sangam. He said he would work closely with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to ensure that gains from nearby development improve residents' quality of life and invigorate the local economy.
Above all, he said he would pay close attention to ensuring that housing, transportation and community infrastructure improve in a balanced way.
Lee also cited his experience serving on both the Mapo District Council and the Seoul Metropolitan Council as a strength. His time as a district council member taught him how to solve problems on the ground, while his years on the city council gave him experience connecting those solutions to policy systems and budgets.
"In my second term, I will reduce trial and error and deliver results with greater speed," Lee said. "I want to be a city council member who is judged by the practical actions that change residents' daily lives."
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
