"The past four years laid the groundwork for Jungnang-gu — now I'll focus on changes residents can feel"
Myeongmok Line urban railway clears feasibility review among key transport wins
Aims to accelerate reconstruction projects and ease financial burden on residents
"I'll check Oh Se-hoon's city administration where needed, but cooperate on policies that serve citizens"
"If the past four years were about laying the foundation for Jungnang-gu's development, the next four will be about creating changes that residents can actually feel."
Lim Gyu-ho, vice chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council's Urban Planning Balance Committee and a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker representing Jungnang 2, made the remarks in an interview Friday.
Born and raised in Jungnang-gu, Lim said his previous term centered on building the groundwork for the district's growth, with a focus on improving transportation and residential conditions. He said he would concentrate his efforts on ensuring that projects pursued under his goal of making "Jungnang feel like Seoul" translate into tangible results.
Myeongmok Line Clears Feasibility Review, Marking Transport Infrastructure Win
Lim cited the Myeongmok Line urban railway project's passage through a preliminary feasibility review as the biggest achievement of his previous term. The line has long been a priority for residents in Seoul's northeastern districts, and Lim said he had consistently raised the need for the project since his time on the transportation committee of the 11th Seoul Metropolitan Council.
"Clearing the feasibility review is a major step forward, but it is a beginning, not an end," he said. "I will carefully follow up on the subsequent procedures to make sure the project actually breaks ground."
Lim also said his experience as a National Assembly aide had been a significant asset in his council work. He said working at the Assembly gave him firsthand exposure to how budgets, legislation and policy are shaped, building his ability to design policy and persuade relevant agencies — experience that has underpinned his work as a Seoul city council member.
He identified meaningful progress on redevelopment and reconstruction projects in Jungnang-gu as a central task for his new term. Lim said a considerable number of projects stall even after being designated as improvement zones, due to rising construction costs and the financial burden on association members. He said active support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government was needed to ensure projects move beyond zone designation and into actual implementation.
He particularly said institutional fixes were needed to prevent projects from drifting for years due to poor viability and excessive resident contributions. "I will find ways to reduce the burden on residents while raising the momentum behind these projects," he said.
Drawing on his experience on the Urban Planning Balance Committee, he added that he would closely monitor the full process — from plan formulation and resident consultation through to project execution — to ensure the benefits of development flow back to local residents in a meaningful way.
'12th Council Needs Balance of Oversight and Cooperation'
With the Democratic Party of Korea holding a majority in the 12th Seoul Metropolitan Council, Lim stressed the need for "a balance of oversight and cooperation" in its relationship with the Oh Se-hoon administration. He said the council must rigorously scrutinize projects funded by taxpayer money, but added that policies aimed at improving residents' quality of life and strengthening Seoul's competitiveness deserve active cooperation across party lines.
"Oversight is not an end in itself — the council's role is to produce better outcomes for citizens," he said.
Strengthening the effectiveness of youth policy was another priority he outlined. Lim said policies must address the real difficulties young people face, including housing, employment and debt.
He also said that with a large number of young lawmakers joining the 12th council, he planned to energize research groups and policy discussions to surface new agenda items and develop policies that young people can feel in their daily lives.
As his personal commitment as a politician, Lim named three qualities: urgency, sincerity and honesty. "Over the next four years, I will do my utmost so that citizens can feel the real impact of policy," he said.
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
