Seoul mayoral candidates Jung Won-oh of the Democratic Party and Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party each unveiled their respective policies on pets and transportation on May 10, aiming to capture voter attention during the holiday period.
Jung announced his "Happy Pet Family Seoul" pledge on his Facebook page in the morning and later visited a pet training and stray dog shelter at the Gyeongdong Market to hear from the community.
The core of his proposal is to establish a welfare system for pets that covers everything from adoption to care, medical treatment, and burial. As part of this initiative, he plans to gradually implement a "standard veterinary fee system" to reduce the financial burden of pet medical expenses. Jung stated, "Excessive medical costs lead to abandonment and anxiety in pet ownership," adding, "We will create an environment where pet owners can care for their animals with transparency and predictability in costs."
The Seoul Animal Welfare Support Center will be expanded into a central hub for animal welfare, assisting with reporting, rescue, care, medical treatment, adoption, and relocation of stray and lost animals. Plans are in place to establish public pet boarding facilities and dog parks in all 25 districts.
Jung emphasized, "We will create a new standard for coexistence and respect between pet owners and non-pet owners in Seoul."
Oh Se-hoon, on the same day, announced his transportation policy at his campaign office in Gwancheol-dong, focusing on enhancing transportation infrastructure in northeastern, northwestern, and southwestern Seoul, as well as integrating the climate card and expanding its application.
Oh pledged to invest 20.8 trillion won to focus on "connecting transportation arteries." He aims to expedite the completion of seven urban rail lines, including the Gangbuk Cross-Line, Myeonmok Line, Western Line, Mokdong Line, Nankok Line, Uiwisinsel Extension Line, and the Northeast Line. Funding will come from public contributions and revenue from the sale of public land through the "Gangbuk Renaissance Fund."
This fall, he plans to introduce the "Seoul Climate Companion Pass," which will integrate the climate card created during his previous term with the government’s K-Pass. This pass will expand its usage to include the GTX-A and the Seoul section of the Shinbundang Line, and extend eligibility for young people up to 42 years old. Citizens aged 70 and above who use public transport fewer than 15 times a month will receive a 100% subsidy for transportation costs.
Additionally, a wireless communication-based train interval maintenance system will be introduced to efficiently reduce subway wait times, and the number of autonomous express buses and late-night buses will be significantly increased, starting with a service at 3:30 a.m.
Oh stated, "Transportation is one of the most important policies related to the quality of life for Seoul citizens, alongside housing," and assured that he would ensure a solid financial plan so that citizens would not worry about feasibility.
Meanwhile, Oh reiterated his call for a one-on-one debate with Jung. After his policy announcement, Oh told reporters, "It is unfortunate that Jung has declined to participate in the one-on-one debate scheduled for May 11 following the Kwanhun Debate." He added, "We need an opportunity to discuss housing supply, price stabilization, and the real estate issues stemming from the Lee Jae-myung administration's loan regulations and tax increases, and to show this to the citizens."
Oh pledged to invest 20.8 trillion won to focus on "connecting transportation arteries." He aims to expedite the completion of seven urban rail lines, including the Gangbuk Cross-Line, Myeonmok Line, Western Line, Mokdong Line, Nankok Line, Uiwisinsel Extension Line, and the Northeast Line. Funding will come from public contributions and revenue from the sale of public land through the "Gangbuk Renaissance Fund."
This fall, he plans to introduce the "Seoul Climate Companion Pass," which will integrate the climate card created during his previous term with the government’s K-Pass. This pass will expand its usage to include the GTX-A and the Seoul section of the Shinbundang Line, and extend eligibility for young people up to 42 years old. Citizens aged 70 and above who use public transport fewer than 15 times a month will receive a 100% subsidy for transportation costs.
Additionally, a wireless communication-based train interval maintenance system will be introduced to efficiently reduce subway wait times, and the number of autonomous express buses and late-night buses will be significantly increased, starting with a service at 3:30 a.m.
Oh stated, "Transportation is one of the most important policies related to the quality of life for Seoul citizens, alongside housing," and assured that he would ensure a solid financial plan so that citizens would not worry about feasibility.
Meanwhile, Oh reiterated his call for a one-on-one debate with Jung. After his policy announcement, Oh told reporters, "It is unfortunate that Jung has declined to participate in the one-on-one debate scheduled for May 11 following the Kwanhun Debate." He added, "We need an opportunity to discuss housing supply, price stabilization, and the real estate issues stemming from the Lee Jae-myung administration's loan regulations and tax increases, and to show this to the citizens."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.