[Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government]
SEOUL -- Seoul mayor Park Won-soon will leave his fancy official residence behind and move into a small rooftop accommodation to experience the life of poor people and endure an exhausting summer heat for a month without the luxury of air conditioning.
Small hut-like rooftop accommodations normally have one room located on the roofs of old individual houses. They are home to many low-income households and shunned by many because of poor insulation.
Park, the liberal mayor who retained his post for his a third term in local elections in June, will move into a 30-square-meter rooftop accommodation with two rooms in a less developed ward in northern Seoul on Sunday to live until August 18.
The mayor's office said in a statement that Park's stay in the rooftop accommodation is aimed at working out solutions to the balanced development of Seoul. He would stay in the rooftop house with aides and commute to his office, using urban subways and buses.
"I will live among people to personally experience and learn things that are inconvenient and things which need to be improved," Park was quoted as saying, adding that special measures should be taken for citizens in need.
Park from the ruling Democratic Party, is a strong supporter of President Moon Jae-in reform drive,
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
