Chong 说，他的成功来自「平台行政」、直接与居民简讯沟通、保留红砖建筑，以及吸引小型企业，而不是自上而下推动重建。他指出，2014 年到 2023 年间 Seongsu 的公司数量增加了 70%，另外还有地方社会政策，例如为孕妇提供家务协助、增加国营托育中心，这些都帮助 Seongdong 的出生率提升到 0.8，为首尔最高。Oh 反驳说，Seongsu 的兴起反映的是 20 年来全市层面的努力，包括 2010 年划设 IT 产业发展区，他认为 Chong 对自己的贡献说得过头；他还指出，首尔的生育率在 2024 年从 0.58 升至 0.63，而这得益于 2022 年推出的政策。
这场选举被塑造成地方治理与国家政策的双重考验，尤其是在首尔面临房市过热、出生率偏低、污染与交通壅塞之际，而这场竞争最终可能更多取决于房地产，而非 Seongsu 的品牌。Hankook Research 于 5月11日至14日对 800 名首尔选民进行的民调显示，回应率为 13.6%，在 95% 信心水准下误差范围为 ±3.5 个百分点。Chong 认为首尔应成为能吸引亚洲总部与外国资本的全球投资枢纽，但批评者指出，较高的租金已经把一些鞋匠挤走；同时，首尔距离北韩只有 50 公里，这一点仍被列为地区风险，尽管 Chong 称这反而是机会。
Seongsu, an eastern Seoul district once known for industry and handmade shoes, has become a symbol of urban renewal, with trendy cafes, art spaces, boutiques, fintech start-ups, and K-pop agencies drawing young crowds. Former district mayor Chong Won-O, now 57, is seeking the June 3 Seoul mayoral election as the ruling Democratic Party candidate, running against incumbent Oh Se-hoon. Chong’s political pitch rests on the idea that the district’s transformation, built during his 12 years leading Seongdong, can be scaled to a capital of 9 million people with a $35 billion budget.
Chong says his success came from “platform administration,” direct texting with residents, preserving red-brick buildings, and attracting small businesses rather than imposing top-down redevelopment. He points to a 70% increase in companies in Seongsu between 2014 and 2023, plus local social policies such as housekeeping support for pregnant women and more state-run nurseries, which helped lift Seongdong’s birth rate to 0.8, the highest in Seoul. Oh counters that Seongsu’s rise reflected citywide efforts over 20 years, including an IT industry development zone designation in 2010, and argues Chong is overclaiming credit; he also cites Seoul’s fertility rate rising to 0.63 from 0.58 in 2024, aided by policies introduced in 2022.
The election is being framed as a test of both local governance and national policy, especially as Seoul faces overheating housing, low birth rates, pollution, and gridlock, and the race may ultimately hinge more on real estate than on Seongsu’s brand. A Hankook Research poll of 800 Seoul voters conducted May 11-14 had a 13.6% response rate and a ±3.5 percentage point margin of error at 95% confidence. Chong argues Seoul should become a global investment hub that can attract Asian headquarters and foreign capital, but critics note higher rents have already pushed out some shoemakers; meanwhile, Seoul’s proximity to North Korea, just 50 kilometers away, remains a stated regional risk even as Chong calls it an opportunity.