A Warm Farewell Speech as the 10-Year Partner 'Bu-gucheongjang' Departs

Yongsan District Mayor Seong Jang-hyun Expresses Regrets at Deputy Mayor Kim Seong-su's Farewell Ceremony on the 23rd

Seong Jang-hyun, Mayor of Yongsan District (right), embraced Kim Seong-su, Deputy Mayor, expressing gratitude for his hard work.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] After graduating from high school in the countryside of Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, and moving to the city to spend his youth, Seong Jang-hyun, the 40-year veteran of Yongsan-gu and the district mayor, delivered a heartfelt farewell speech as he bid farewell to Deputy Mayor Kim Seong-su, who had served as his deputy for 9 years and 6 months, drawing attention.

Seong, who holds the title of "Yongsan's first four-term district mayor," held an expanded executive meeting on the 23rd and expressed his firm belief in the saying "Hwaeja Jeongri Geoja Pilban" (all things that come together must part). He wrote on Facebook, "I secretly hoped this day would never come, but as I send off a friend of 10 years, I find myself reflecting on the past."

He continued, "After stepping down as district mayor in 2000 and spending 10 years as a private citizen, I waited for the time to fly again. In 2010, with the trust of 300,000 Yongsan families, I was able to return to this position. The day after tomorrow, the traces of another 10 years will be recorded as a page in history," recalling the difficult times of the past.

It appears he was reflecting on the 10-year gap after serving 2 years out of 4 during his second elected term as Yongsan district mayor, which he left due to unavoidable circumstances. During this period, Seong did not stop honing his skills and character, earning a doctoral degree at university, and made a spectacular comeback as the 5th elected Yongsan district mayor in 2010, subsequently serving three consecutive terms through the 7th term.

Notably, during the 6th elected term, when the opposition candidate narrowly lost to Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon by about 5,000 votes, Seong confidently won the Yongsan district mayor position on his own merit, becoming a legendary figure in local politics to the extent that people said, "Yongsan has the Seong Jang-hyun party."

Seong recalled his 10-year relationship with Deputy Mayor Kim, saying, "Deputy Mayor Kim was the most reliable support and the keeper of the household during my tenure as district mayor. Over the past 10 years, as our senior and as a mother figure, she worked hard alongside us to ensure Yongsan's administration ran smoothly. When we meet, we part, and then meet again."

Seong requested then Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon in 2010 to appoint Kim as deputy mayor, and together they spent the longest tenure of 9 years and 6 months as Seoul city deputy mayors.

Seong concluded, "I sincerely thank Deputy Mayor Kim, who supported me as a proud public servant of Yongsan. To all public officials, even if you cannot surpass your predecessors, at least let us dedicate ourselves to public service without shame."

In response, Deputy Mayor Kim said, "I consider myself fortunate to have worked at Yongsan District Office for the past 10 years. Since the elected system, it is the first time a district mayor and deputy mayor have served together for 10 years, and it will likely remain rare in the future."

She added, "I am grateful to Mayor Seong and my colleagues who continued to trust my shortcomings. I will live with pride as a Yongsan person," expressing her sentiments.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.