Seoul Metropolitan Council "Very Regretful of Mayor Oh Se-hoon's Greeting During the Temporary Session"...Why Suddenly Raise the Greeting Issue?

Seoul Metropolitan Council Spokesperson's Office: "Personnel appointments during sessions processing agenda disregard the council"... Seoul Metropolitan Council 300th Extraordinary Session, from April 19 to May 4

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The Seoul Metropolitan Council, currently holding its 300th extraordinary session which began with an opening ceremony on the 19th, has drawn attention by criticizing the Seoul Metropolitan Government for making personnel appointments during the session without communicating with the council. They stated that this act undermines the promise to pursue mutual communication and harmony.

In particular, although personnel appointments for senior officials in the Seoul Metropolitan Government do not necessarily require consultation with the council, the council has raised critical voices regarding the personnel matters.

Choi Seon, spokesperson for the Seoul Metropolitan Council, said, “Changing key department heads and bureau chiefs during the extraordinary session, when ordinance reviews and approvals on current issues are underway and multiple discussions with the executive branch are necessary, causes significant inconvenience to legislative activities and may even infringe on citizens' rights and interests. Despite a regular personnel reshuffle scheduled for June, such a decision by the executive branch is very regrettable.”

Han Ki-young, another spokesperson for the Seoul Metropolitan Council, stated, “Although this personnel reshuffle is minor and the extraordinary session will close five days after the appointment date, the executive branch’s urgent personnel appointments during the session seem to disregard the council, which is the representative body of the 10 million Seoul citizens.”

Since Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s inauguration, the Seoul Metropolitan Council has temporarily suspended the administrative investigation agenda regarding Mayor Oh’s land in Naegok-dong to maintain harmony with the executive branch. Considering the recent timing of the new mayor’s inauguration, the council also decided to postpone the city administration questions planned for this extraordinary session to the regular session in June.

Additionally, Council Chair Kim In-ho and Mayor Oh Se-hoon have agreed to build a cooperative and communicative relationship through several meetings such as the chairperson group and executive branch current affairs briefings.

On the 19th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced in a press release personnel appointments effective on the 29th during the 300th extraordinary session: Baek Ho as Director of Urban Transportation (former Head of the Waterworks Business Headquarters), Kim Sang-han as Director of Administration (former Head of the Regional Balanced Development Headquarters), and Kim Tae-gyun as Head of the Waterworks Business Headquarters (former Director of Administration).

Some speculate that among the 110 Seoul council members, 101 belong to the Democratic Party of Korea, and that appointing former Director of Administration Kim Tae-gyun, who oversaw the funeral of the late Mayor Park Won-soon from the same party, as Head of the Waterworks Business Headquarters may have caused some resentment.

Accordingly, although Council Chair Kim In-ho has made a decision to cooperate with Mayor Oh Se-hoon, it is interpreted that the council intends to exercise its most important oversight function over the executive branch and raise a strong voice depending on future issues, making their future actions noteworthy.

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