Among First-Term District Mayors in Seoul, Who Is Rated as a 'Competent Mayor'? ...What Are the Reasons?

After the district mayor's inauguration, the decisive factors are the 'brand' based on definite achievements, 'evaluation through communication with staff,' and residents' assessments of relations with local politicians.

On the 15th, Ryu Kyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, commemorated Liberation Day by leaving a message at Manguri Historical and Cultural Park and took a commemorative photo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Ryu Kyung-gi of Jungnang, Park Sung-soo of Songpa, Chae Hyun-il of Yeongdeungpo, Oh Seung-rok of Nowon, Yoo Dong-gyun of Mapo District Office.

They are first-term Seoul mayors who have been evaluated as ‘good district heads who work well and are appreciated by their communities.’

They were elected as district heads in the 7th local election and have established their own brands while delivering solid achievements.

Ryu Kyung-gi, mayor of Jungnang District (60), is a ‘master of administration’ who graduated from Seoul National University’s Department of Political Science, passed the civil service exam, and served as spokesperson, administrative director, and chief of the planning office at Seoul City before becoming the first deputy mayor of administration.

Since being elected as the 7th term mayor of Jungnang District, Mayor Ryu has brought many changes to Jungnang over the past three years, including the construction of the Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center, the ‘Read 1,000 Books Before Entering Elementary School’ program, active promotion of the Manguri Historical and Cultural Park project, cleaning the district together with residents once a week, and remodeling the Jungnang District Office plaza.

He has also received high praise for upgrading the district’s pride, the Rose Festival, to a new level.

Park Sung-soo, mayor of Songpa District (57), graduated from Seoul National University’s Law School, passed the bar exam, started his career as a prosecutor, served as the Blue House legal secretary, and then entered politics, serving as the Democratic Party’s Songpa Gap regional chairman.

Later, as a member of the Democratic Party, he was elected as the 7th term mayor of Songpa District after 12 years, bringing significant changes to the area.

First, Mayor Park established the ‘Songpa Saem’ platform, providing various online content during the COVID-19 era, playing a major role in creating a study-friendly atmosphere not only for students but also for residents. Notably, Mayor Park personally contributed ideas while creating Songpa Saem. The ‘Songpa Saem Comprehensive Control Center’ will soon operate on the 5th floor of the hotel on the KT site next to Songpa District Office, which is nearing completion.

Also, opening a path along the Tancheon Stream for the first time in over 60 years is expected to be recorded as a historic achievement in Songpa District. Previously, residents had to go through Jangji Stream, Tancheon, and Yangjae Stream to reach the Han River, but now a path has been connected next to Jamsil Sports Complex, allowing direct access to the Han River.

Along with this, Mayor Park has solidified integrity within the Songpa District public service, earning high evaluations from employees.

Cha Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo District, is visiting the pedestrian-friendly street construction site around Yeongdeungpo Market Intersection and having a conversation with officials.

Chae Hyun-il, mayor of Yeongdeungpo District (51), is the youngest among the 25 Seoul district mayors. After graduating from Seoul National University’s Department of Political Science, he worked as a member of the National Assembly’s aide, political aide to the Seoul mayor, and Blue House administrator before being elected mayor of Yeongdeungpo District.

True to his youth, Mayor Chae is known as a mayor who never takes a day off and is always on the ground. A reporter visiting near Dangsan Station on the afternoon of the 28th was surprised to see Mayor Chae touring the area accompanied by his chief secretary. Mayor Chae warmly greeted the reporter, asking, “What brings you here on my day off?” The reporter applauded, saying, “Indeed, you are the mayor who is always on the ground, Mayor Chae Hyun-il.”

Since taking office, Mayor Chae has reorganized the street vendors in front of Yeongdeungpo Station for the first time in 50 years without physical conflict. Especially, by negotiating with the vendors, he resolved the issue without major conflicts and opened his brand ‘The Open Yeongdeungpo Era.’ Recently, Mayor Chae has also undertaken maintenance of the remaining sections of Yeongjung-ro and the Yeongdeungpo-ro area.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon District, is receiving a vaccination.

Oh Seung-rok, mayor of Nowon District (52), is a politician who graduated from Yonsei University and served as vice president of the student council, National Assembly aide, Blue House administrator during the participatory government, and Seoul city council member.

Mayor Oh succeeded former mayor Kim Sung-hwan (currently a re-elected National Assembly member) and has been making efforts to actively utilize Nowon’s natural environment, including Bulamsan Mountain, while developing facilities such as the Mathematics Museum, earning a reputation for making Nowon a good place for the middle class to live.

Notably, upon taking office in 2018, Mayor Oh created a ‘Heatwave Shelter’ in the district auditorium for senior citizens during the peak summer heat, which was highly praised nationwide. He also operated a pet care center for residents returning home during the Chuseok and Lunar New Year holidays, receiving applause from the community.

During last year’s COVID-19 outbreak, he traveled nationwide to secure masks and was the first among Seoul’s autonomous districts to distribute them to residents, creating a significant impact.

Additionally, when the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced plans to build 10,000 apartments at Taereung Golf Course, Mayor Oh proposed alternatives and opposed the plan, leading the ministry to reduce the number by about 3,000 units recently and announce plans to create a pleasant eco-friendly apartment complex.

Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, planting trees together with residents at Seongmisan

Yoo Dong-gyun, mayor of Mapo District (59), is a self-made district head. After completing the first year of middle school, his family’s financial situation worsened, and while working in a factory, he never lost his dream and devoted himself to studying, passing the middle and high school equivalency exams, attending Korea National Open University, and earning a master’s degree from Yonsei University Graduate School of Public Administration.

Despite difficult circumstances, Mayor Yoo served as a Mapo district council member during the 2nd local election term, maintaining his commitment to community service. He then worked as a secretary-general for a member of the National Assembly and as a Seoul city council member before being elected as the 7th term mayor of Mapo District.

After being elected mayor, before the COVID-19 outbreak, he resumed working as a taxi driver once a month, a job he had done for a living in the past, and donated the earnings to the Mapo Talent Scholarship Fund, while actively listening to local public opinion.

Perhaps due to these hardships, Mayor Yoo is also known as an excellent communicator with district office employees.

In particular, after taking office, Mayor Yoo launched the ‘Planting 5 Million Trees’ campaign in response to climate and environmental changes, capturing national attention and winning various awards, establishing a strong personal brand.

These district heads are not only good at their work but also excel in communication with employees and maintain smooth relationships with local politicians such as members of the National Assembly. Above all, they are known to receive high approval ratings from local residents.

Although next year’s local elections will not be easy, there is a forecast that based on these evaluations, they will be able to overcome challenges with their own competitiveness.

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