7 Applicants for Next SH President... Attention on Hearing Approval and Internal Promotion

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] It has been confirmed that seven candidates have applied for the next president position of Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH Corporation). As the final candidate is expected to be revealed next month, attention is focused on the possibility of passing the Seoul City Council’s confirmation hearing and internal promotion.

According to industry sources on the 30th, SH Corporation has formed an Executive Recommendation Committee (ERC) and is proceeding with the selection process for the next president. Applications were accepted until the 18th, and document screening was conducted last week. From this week, formal interviews have begun.

A total of seven candidates applied for the president position. Along with Kim Hyun-ah, a former member of the People Power Party who has been consistently mentioned as a frontrunner, current and former SH Corporation executives such as Jung Yoo-seung, Head of the Urban Regeneration Headquarters; Lee Yong-duk, former Head of the Rental Management Headquarters; and Kim Woo-jin, former Head of the Planning and Management Headquarters, have also been named.

The ERC is expected to recommend two candidates to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon as early as the beginning of next month. Mayor Oh will select the final candidate, who will then undergo a confirmation hearing by the City Council before the final appointment.

Industry insiders believe that since SH Corporation executes Seoul’s housing policies, Mayor Oh will likely choose a candidate who works well with him. This is why former lawmaker Kim, who belongs to the same party and is an urban planning expert, is mentioned as a leading candidate. Internal candidate Jung is also known to have a good understanding of Mayor Oh’s policies, having worked alongside former Seoul Housing Headquarters Chief Kim Hyo-soo.

The challenge lies in passing the City Council confirmation hearing, where the ruling party holds an absolute majority. Mayor Oh faces a somewhat contradictory situation where he must nominate a cooperative figure to support housing policies while avoiding candidates who might be opposed by the City Council, which maintains a tense relationship. The Seoul City government also maintains the position that it cannot ignore the relationship with the City Council and the likelihood of passing the confirmation hearing.

For this reason, there is speculation that Mayor Oh will not nominate candidates with overt political affiliations as the final choice. However, some argue that just as many ministers in government departments are appointed from the ruling party, the City Council cannot outright oppose candidates who possess expertise.

Attention is also focused on the possibility of internal promotion. Since its establishment in 1989, SH Corporation has never promoted a president from within. An industry official said, "Seoul City’s senior officials or external appointees such as professors and construction company CEOs have often been appointed," adding, "I understand that employees’ demands for internal promotion are stronger than ever."

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