Kang Kum-sil has drawn plenty of attention as the first justice minister of the Roh Moo-hyun administration, a judge and a lawyer. Her expertise is widely acknowledged, and her well-known predilection for dance and literature as well as her feminist passion have won her both friends and detractors. After finally joining the ruling Uri Party on Wednesday, the former minister told the Chosun Ilbo, ¡°Please consider me now a preliminary candidate for the mayoral race in Seoul.¡± Excerpts of the interview follow.
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Former justice minister Kang Kum-sil, widely considered as one of the most likely hopefuls as the next mayor of Seoul, speaks next to a bust of the late labor activist Chun Tae-il in the street named after him on Sixth Avenue Cheonggye, in Seoul on Friday. The spot is where Chun died by self-immolation in 1970./Yonhap
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- Your candidacy for the mayor's office in Seoul is getting a lot of support. What is it you think the people of Seoul expect from you?
It¡¯s what German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called the "creative imperative." It¡¯s important to unravel problems that can't be solved the old-fashioned way by new and creative means. If you listen to what the politicians are saying, in a situation where both parties are strong, it¡¯s impossible to ignore or just refuse to deal with criticism. But when one tries to deal with it over and over, it eventually turns into a fight. The Uri Party has been working hard, but we want to show you more."
- You always put forth purple and white. What¡¯s the reason behind your emphasis on color?
It seems to be a major trend in the marketing of politics these days. Color brings to mind a symbolic image. Purple, first of all, is a color that I like, but it also matches the much-talked-about international Purple Cow trend. (It was coined by marketing guru Seth Godin in his book ¡°Purple Cow¡±, in which he argues that consumers have tuned out old-fashioned advertising and only something unusual, like a purple cow in a field, can move them.) It¡¯s about dealing with problems that can¡¯t be resolved by existing methods, about breaking the mold and bringing resolution to these issues.
- How do you think that Seoul needs to change? Is there a city you plan to use as the benchmark for the development of Seoul?
My thoughts are to develop a city centered more around culture, history and tourism. I think models could be New York and London, and the autonomous cities of Germany. Also, because of its location, it would be impossible for Seoul not to be largely influenced by Shanghai, and there is a definite possibility that the two cities are in competition with one another. I think we have to make sure that the interesting parts of Seoul stay alive. But Seoul has to be transformed into the kind of international city where foreigners can easily blend in.
- You still haven¡¯t made any election promises. Is there something you¡¯re working on?
I¡¯m preparing to make a campaign pledge that will deal with roads. A place where people can walk, a place where people can meet, that's the kind of place that I'm thinking about. When I went to New York, I saw that the city was laid out in a way that made walking enjoyable, and I envied that.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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