No Good Rumors Surround the Election for the President of the National Special and Metropolitan City Council Association

Kim In-ho, Chair of Seoul Metropolitan Council, Jang Hyun-guk, Chair of Gyeonggi Provincial Council, and Kim Han-jong, Chair of Jeonnam Provincial Council, engaged in a fierce election battle, but in the chairperson election held from 4 PM on the 12th, these three withdrew, and the remaining 14 chairs gathered to elect the eldest, Kim Han-jong, Chair of Jeonnam Provincial Council.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Controversy is brewing over the results of the election for the first half term president of the 17th National Council of Provincial and Metropolitan Councils.

The National Council of Provincial and Metropolitan Councils held a regular meeting at a hotel in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, starting at 2 p.m. on the 12th, where the president for the first half of the 17th term was elected.

The chairpersons of 17 special and metropolitan city councils nationwide, including the Seoul Metropolitan Council, nominated three candidates for the next president: Kim In-ho, Chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Council; Jang Hyun-guk, Chairperson of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council; and Kim Han-jong, Chairperson of the Jeonnam Provincial Council. They engaged in a prolonged and intense election campaign.

However, in the council president election held that day, 14 candidates other than these three gathered and elected Kim Han-jong, born in 1954 and the eldest candidate, as Chairperson of the Jeonnam Provincial Council.

As a result, Kim In-ho, Chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, along with Lee Tae-hwan, the youngest among the 17 chairpersons and Chairperson of the Sejong Special Self-Governing City Council, were appointed as auditors, an unexpected and somewhat ironic outcome.

An official who witnessed this said, “French President Macron was elected president a few years ago at the age of 43, and once you pass 50 (Jicheonmyeong in Korean age), what can’t you do?” adding, “The election of the chairpersons of the 17 metropolitan councils nationwide this time seems like a decision far behind the times, which is somewhat bitter.”

Especially this year, a critical time to firmly establish the framework for local decentralization by passing the Local Autonomy Act, the decision by the chairpersons of the nationwide metropolitan councils to adhere to the seniority principle is expected to leave some unfavorable remarks.

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