Hong Ji-sun, the nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, expressed her commitment to expanding housing supply in areas desired by citizens by mobilizing both public and private resources. She aims to enhance the execution of housing supply policies by addressing on-site challenges such as permitting, drawing on her experience working in local government.
During her opening remarks at the National Assembly confirmation hearing on the 16th, Hong stated her goal of achieving housing stability that citizens can truly feel.
Hong emphasized, "As the second vice minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, I dealt with transportation issues related to mobility, roads, railways, and aviation, and I have accumulated extensive on-site experience in Gyeonggi Province. I will leverage this experience to resolve on-site challenges such as permitting support and enhance policy execution capabilities."
Having entered public service after passing the second local civil service exam in 1996, Hong has held various positions, including Director of Road Planning and Director of Road Policy in Gyeonggi Province, as well as Director of Construction and Director of Railways. She also served as Director of the Railway, Port, and Logistics Bureau and Director of Urban Housing during Lee Jae-myung's tenure as Gyeonggi Province governor. She was appointed as the second vice minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on December 29 of last year.
She also identified regional balanced development as a key issue, stating, "Balanced development is a matter of national survival. I will support mega projects and ensure sufficient communication with local governments during the second relocation process of public institutions, linking them with local industries."
In the transportation sector, she pledged to expand the metropolitan transportation network and strengthen the mobility rights of residents in underserved areas. She also plans to enhance the benefits of the 'Everyone's Card' to reduce transportation costs for citizens. Additionally, she expressed her intention to foster new growth engines in the land and transportation sectors, including autonomous driving.
Regarding safety policies, she emphasized a focus on prevention rather than response after accidents occur. She plans to examine related systems and on-site conditions to ensure that workers in delivery, transportation, and construction can work in safe environments and receive fair treatment.
Hong stated, "My public service has been a time spent contemplating how policies operate effectively on the ground. If given the opportunity to serve as minister, I will communicate humbly with the public and listen to their voices from the field."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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