Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho Launches Emergency Economic Council and Reform Agenda on Inauguration Day

On his first day in office, Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho held a informal lunch meeting with senior city officials, emphasizing a citizen‑centered, performance‑based administration. He announced the immediate activation of an “Emergency Economic Measures Council” to address local economic challenges, from struggling neighborhood businesses to broader industrial restructuring.

Choo stressed that personnel decisions will be made on merit, rejecting patronage and “camp appointments.” He pledged open recruitment for a youth special envoy and promised that all future appointments will prioritize ability and results. The mayor also outlined a five‑point vision: economic revitalisation, cultural happiness, spatial transformation, safety and welfare, and empathic governance.

Key development goals include attracting AI, robotics, semiconductor, future‑mobility, and bio‑medical industries, as well as forming an AI‑conversion committee for traditional sectors. Choo reaffirmed plans for a Daegu‑Gyeongbuk administrative merger by 2028 and advocated for the Daegu‑Gyeongbuk new airport to become a nationally led project. These initiatives signal a shift toward market‑driven growth and transparent city management.