Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party's candidate for Seoul mayor, unveiled his sports-related pledges following the registration deadline for candidates in the June 3 local elections.
On May 16, Jung announced on Facebook his plans to establish a "15-Minute Sports Living Zone" and a "20 Hot Places in Seoul" project, stating, "I will ensure that every citizen can exercise close to home and enjoy healthy leisure activities with neighbors."
He proposed creating large-scale public sports spaces at the Nanji and Jungnang water recycling centers, expanding access to sports facilities in public institutions, and increasing recreational sports spaces utilizing walking paths and riverside areas.
Additionally, Jung pledged to deploy retired athletes and sports instructors as "neighborhood sports doctors" and to expand tailored sports programs for underrepresented groups, including children and women.
Jung also committed to building a "Second Life Platform" for middle-aged and retired individuals, establishing lifelong learning centers in every district of Seoul, overhauling the Seoul Run program into a comprehensive AI lifelong learning platform, and creating a Seoul-style lifelong learning certification system.
After attending the "2026 Seoul Citizens' Sports Festival" at the Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium, Jung visited Seongsu-dong, where he met with citizens and stated, "I will create 20 Seongsu-dongs in Seoul to revitalize local economies and enhance the city's competitiveness."
He outlined plans for development through a "town management" approach involving collaboration among businesses, citizens, and merchants, as well as expanding business districts.
Meanwhile, Jung criticized the campaign of Oh Se-hoon, the candidate from the People Power Party, for continuing to attack him over a past violence incident, calling it "political maneuvering and a crime."
Kim Jae-seop, a member of the National Assembly and the chief campaign chair for Oh, claimed on May 13 that Jung was fined 3 million won for assaulting a police officer and a political aide during an argument at a café in Yangcheon-gu in October 1995 while he was serving as a secretary to the Yangcheon District Mayor.
In response, Jung explained that the incident stemmed from a disagreement over differing views on the May 18 Democratic Movement and expressed remorse, but he denied allegations of coercing a female employee to stay overnight, calling them "unfounded claims."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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