Jung Wonoh: "Seoul Should Become a Gateway to the World... Special Zones Are the Solution"

Seoul Mayoral TV Debate
Difficult to Implement Free Public Transportation All at Once

Jung Won-oh, the Seoul mayoral candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea, identified "special economic zones" as a solution to easing the economic concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area under the 5 Regions and 3 Special Zones (5-geuk 3-teuk) policy.

At the Seoul mayoral candidate debate hosted by the Seoul Election Broadcasting Debate Committee on the 28th, Jung cited special economic zones as a way to enhance the competitiveness of the capital region. He stated, "In the past, Seoul has played the role of drawing talent and capital from other regions, but now it should serve as a gateway to the world, spreading resources from Seoul to the provinces." He added, "Easing regulations in Seoul and providing certain benefits are necessary, and I intend to achieve this through the establishment of special economic zones."

On the 28th, candidates are taking a commemorative photo before the 2026 Seoul mayoral election debate held at SBS Prism Tower in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

He further explained, "In consultation with the central government, it would be possible to resolve these issues by offering tax reductions and other privileges in areas such as Yongsan and select districts."

When asked by Kwon Young-guk, the Seoul mayoral candidate from the Justice Party, about his stance on policies such as free public transportation and the era of public housing, Jung responded, "These are desirable goals," but also emphasized, "Since there are issues related to budgeting and public finances, these challenges must be addressed within the scope of available fiscal resources." He continued, "It would be difficult to implement these measures all at once. As the city’s finances allow, we can consider a phased approach—such as providing free transportation to certain groups first, like students or the elderly, depending on priority."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.