“If I lose, will you still keep the promises you’ve made?”
Kim Bu-gyeom, the Democratic Party candidate for Daegu mayor, says he hasn’t forgotten that question. It came at Seomun Market, and he admitted he was momentarily taken aback.
The voter pressed him: if you lose and become unemployed, how could you possibly keep your pledges? Still, the voter pleaded again: please, at least try to keep them.
Kim calls that exchange “the desperation of Daegu residents.” He said the concern transcends political preference; for many it’s a matter of survival.
“People in Daegu wrestle with whether to vote for a conservative candidate while also asking who can realistically revive the city,” he told reporters.
When I met Kim at his “Hope Camp” that afternoon, he couldn’t lean back in his chair. With each question his posture moved forward.
Industry, the new airport, tourism, political controversies—his answers were concise and direct. “Daegu’s economy comes before political fights,” he said.
“Protecting the conservative heart is killing Daegu’s heart…it’s time for cooperative governance”
Kim described the raw mood he’s witnessed across the city. One vendor at Seomun Market left a particular impression on him: “Trying to protect the conservative heart is putting out Daegu’s heart.”
He criticized how partisan rhetoric has dominated local politics.
“The politics of bowing and begging for votes only during elections has to end. Whether it’s the opposition treating the city like a caught fish and doing nothing, or the ruling party only complaining about discrimination, both share responsibility for Daegu’s decline,” he said.
He argued that slogans about preserving a “conservative heart” have not translated into tangible improvements in people’s lives. As an alternative, he proposed what he called “Korea’s first meaningful cooperation”: a Democratic mayor working with People Power Party members of the National Assembly to secure budgetary and legal support. Strategically using the advantage of a ruling-party mayor, he said, could help pull in resources.
“If we don’t outfit industry with AI, Daegu manufacturing will collapse…I’ll persuade the government to provide seed funding”
Kim said local firms describe Daegu’s economy as barely holding on. That’s why his top pledge, “Daegu Industrial Transformation,” focuses on an AI-driven transition (AX). He emphasized this will not be a plan sketched by bureaucrats at desks; companies, universities and research institutes must operate in a coordinated way.
He cited an example: a firm (working title “Maka”) that makes fine surgical needles. After investing 15 billion KRW (approximately $11.25 million) to implement AI processes, the company now expects future sales of 50 billion KRW (approximately $37.5 million). Kim used this case to stress the need for government “seed” investments.
He described another project where the private sector invested 6 billion KRW (approximately $4.5 million) and the government and Daegu city invested 9 billion KRW (approximately $6.75 million). “We should expand projects like this across Daegu’s traditional manufacturing base,” he said.
He also expressed a strong intention to attract the semiconductor industry.
“Semiconductors generate extensive upstream and downstream economic effects,” Kim said. “We’re reviewing several options that could be included in my policy platform soon.” Noting water and power constraints near Seoul’s semiconductor cluster, he argued Daegu has competitive advantages in workforce availability and industrial decentralization.
Referring to a recent visit to DGIST, he said faculty showed confidence. He envisions government and local authorities directly supporting initiatives that integrate AI into process management, inventory control and product quality across firms.
“The new airport is national critical infrastructure…state support must expand step by step”
On the region’s biggest issue—the new airport—Kim said the project has advanced too far to reverse and rejected calls for a local referendum.
However, he argued the current “donation in exchange for concessions” model has clear limits. He advocates a practical, state-led approach: the government should begin by purchasing land and providing seed funding, then gradually broaden national support.
“The Daegu–Gyeongbuk New Airport is not merely a military-base relocation; it’s core infrastructure for taking Daegu and Gyeongbuk industries global,” he said. “We will expand national backing step by step and make this a success.”
On the “prosecutorial dismissal special prosecutor” debate: “Focus on Daegu’s future, not political fights”
Addressing controversy around a proposed “prosecutorial dismissal special prosecutor” bill, Kim urged, “Don’t turn the Daegu mayoral race into a political brawl.” He said a mayor’s role is to persuade the central government to bring budgets and projects to the city. “If we get lost in partisan warfare, who will take responsibility for Daegu’s future?” he asked.
He also pushed back against criticism that, while serving as prime minister under the Moon administration, he did not do enough for local issues. “During my time as prime minister, Daegu’s central government funding grew by more than 10% on average,” he said, citing increased early-COVID support, burying high-voltage lines in Hwanggeum-dong, creating a public parking lot for the new market, and building the Suseong Park golf facility as examples of his record.
“Use me, Kim Bu-gyeom, as a product—let me prove my worth”
On polls showing a tight race with People Power candidate Choo Kyung-ho, Kim called the trend “expected, given Daegu’s political terrain.”
“Because conservative voters rallied early, I’ve had time to explain my usefulness to citizens,” he said. “I’ll keep appealing to the remaining 15–20% of undecided voters until the end.”
As aides signaled it was time to move on, Kim closed with a personal plea:
“People told me, ‘You’re fine, but the administration needs to be put in its place.’ I took that enormous disappointment and stood up again. This time, let the people of Daegu put the ‘product’ called Kim Bu-gyeom to work. I will create the moment when Daegu rises again.”
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