Cho Juhong, a preliminary candidate for Yeongdeok County governor, held the opening ceremony of his campaign office at 2 p.m. on Saturday (April 4) at his office located on the 3rd floor, 57 Jungang-gil, Yeongdeok-eup, Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongbuk, officially launching his election campaign.
About 1,000 supporters attended the event, creating an atmosphere akin to a campaign kickoff rally. The venue was filled with local elders, figures from various sectors, young people, and small business owners, showing strong support.
The ceremony included congratulatory messages from key figures and drew attention with a performance titled “Yeongdeok Future Blueprint and Regional Pledge Performance,” which visually ներկայաց (Oops fix) — correcting:
The ceremony included congratulatory messages from key figures and drew attention with a performance titled “Yeongdeok Future Blueprint and Regional Pledge Performance,” which visually presented pledges for each town and township.
Participants entered holding placards representing their respective areas, emphasizing the need for regional change. The placards were then brought together on stage, symbolizing unity. The highlight came when Cho appeared holding a large placard featuring the “Future Blueprint for Yeongdeok County,” drawing enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Under the slogan “Definite Change for Livelihood,” Cho stated in his speech, “Yeongdeok has great potential, but its strengths are not being fully realized,” adding, “We must move away from an administration that merely distributes budgets and transition to a management-style governance that revitalizes the local economy.”
As a key policy, he proposed building an energy industry base centered on attracting new nuclear power plants. “Through an energy mix that combines nuclear and renewable sources, we will develop Yeongdeok into a ‘climate-energy special zone’ and establish the Yeongdeok Energy Development Corporation to return profits from solar and wind energy to residents in the form of a ‘citizen pension,’” he said.
He also pledged to create a future-oriented industrial complex combining smart hydrogen industries with senior care services to address both employment and welfare issues simultaneously.
Regarding residents’ quality of life, Cho promised to build an integrated care system enabling seniors to receive medical and care services at home, along with a one-stop civil complaint system for faster resolution of daily inconveniences.
On fiscal policy, he said, “We will repay 70 billion won in debt early and usher in a 1 trillion won budget era,” adding that he would pursue a “sales-oriented administration” to attract external funding through public projects and private investment.
For regional development, he outlined key infrastructure plans, including a Yeongdeok–Uiseong railway linked to a new airport, the Yeongdeok–Samcheok north-south expressway (Axis 10), improvements to national roads and fishing ports, and expansion of marine and eco-tourism infrastructure.
He emphasized the need for tailored development strategies for each town and township, noting, “Conditions differ across regions, so customized approaches are essential.”
Closing his speech, Cho said, “Politics should not be noise that tires residents but results that improve lives,” adding, “I will become a county governor who brings real change to people’s livelihoods and revitalizes Yeongdeok’s economy.”
