Why Are Executives at a Seoul District Office Already Facing Mounting Worries?

Seoul City Announces Grade 3 or Higher Transfers for 5 District Offices as of the 8th... Among Them, One District Deputy Mayor Faces Growing Concerns Among Officials Due to Unfavorable Rumors

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] “There is great concern due to unfavorable rumors about the newly appointed deputy district mayor as of the 8th.”

This was said by a department head of a district office in Seoul.

On the 8th, Seoul City carried out personnel changes for executives at grade 3 (director level) and above, and five district offices in Seoul also appointed new deputy district mayors.

However, among them, it was revealed that one deputy district mayor had been disciplined for misconduct while serving as the previous deputy district mayor, causing concern among the district office executives.

Another neighborhood chief also said, “There were unfavorable rumors even before the appointment, so I am worried.”

Such cases have been rare in Seoul’s district offices. However, this particular district is attracting attention as this atmosphere has become widespread following the appointment of a senior executive.

When something unfavorable happens to a Seoul city official, rumors spread rapidly. Not only the Seoul City Hall but also the 25 district office officials immediately verify the facts, and the news spreads by word of mouth.

Because of this, once unfavorable rumors arise, it becomes very difficult for the official involved to restore their image.

In particular, if the deputy district mayor, the second-in-command of the district office, becomes embroiled in unfavorable rumors, it causes enormous damage to the district mayor’s leadership and inevitably leads to a bigger fallout.

The deputy district mayor holds a powerful position as the head of 1,200 to 1,500 personnel besides the district mayor, making this even more significant.

Accordingly, when there is an exchange between deputy district mayors and directors of Seoul City or district offices, a ‘reputation check’ on the individual is conducted first. If there are unfavorable rumors, the appointment is almost never accepted.

However, if this is ignored and the appointment proceeds, all the blame inevitably returns to the district mayor. The district mayor will find it difficult to avoid responsibility for a long time.

Department heads and above in the district office have worked there for more than 25 years and, although not visible politically in the region, they hold considerable influence.

During the district mayor’s term, they are cautious, but unfavorable remarks tend to leak out toward the end of the term.

There was also a case last year where a Seoul district mayor faced difficulties due to appointing a senior executive improperly, highlighting that it is not easy for district mayors to manage this properly.

An official from a district office said, “In any organization, people are ultimately what moves it, and if senior officials like deputy district mayors are appointed improperly, the organization can suffer great damage,” adding, “It is necessary to be cautious when appointing personnel.”

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