Kim Mikyung, Eunpyeong District Mayor, and Kim Hyejung, Deputy Mayor, Form a Fantastic 'Combi'?

Nation's First Female District Mayor and Deputy Mayor Record... District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung and Deputy Mayor Appointment Following Good Relationship with Kim Hye-jung, Director of Cultural Policy, During Seoul City Council Tenure

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong District

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The first-ever case nationwide of a 'female district mayor with a female deputy district mayor' has become a hot topic.

In Seoul's Eunpyeong District, Mayor Kim Mi-kyung and Deputy Mayor Kim Hye-jung have teamed up to start 2022 with great momentum.

In the personnel announcement dated January 1, 2022, made by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 28th, Kim Hye-jung, Director of the Seoul Water Institute, was appointed as Deputy Mayor of Eunpyeong District.

This personnel move was made following Mayor Kim Mi-kyung's decision to appoint Kim Hye-jung as Deputy Mayor.

Their connection is known to stem from a good working relationship between Mayor Kim, who was a Seoul city council member, and Deputy Mayor Kim, who was the head of the Cultural Policy Division.

Mayor Kim told reporters in a phone interview, “I got to know Deputy Mayor Kim Hye-jung during her time as head of the Cultural Policy Division, and she has a good image.”

It appears that she highly evaluated Kim’s sincere attitude toward work and her external relations at that time.

Kim Hye-jung, Nominee for Deputy Mayor

Politician Mayor Kim is known for her great inclusiveness, and she has always expressed gratitude for Deputy Mayor Lim Dong-guk’s humble attitude and passionate dedication to work since his appointment. Although they had promised to work together until next year, Deputy Mayor Lim was promoted to Grade 2 (Director level) and assigned as Deputy Mayor of Songpa District. While selecting a successor, Kim Hye-jung was ultimately chosen.

After graduating from Yonsei University and passing the Grade 7 public service exam, Kim began her public service career in Jung-gu, Seoul. She mainly worked at the Seoul Metropolitan Government headquarters, serving as Childcare Officer, Head of Cultural Policy Division, Head of Job Policy Division, and Head of General Affairs Division. After being promoted to Grade 3, she served as a liaison officer to the National Assembly and later as Director of the Seoul Water Institute.

She was especially recognized for her work ability as one of the few female senior officials who served as Head of the General Affairs Division in Seoul.

Deputy Mayor appointee Kim said, “I will do my best to assist Mayor Kim Mi-kyung well and communicate effectively with the staff of Eunpyeong District Office.”

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong District, Welcomes Selection of Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension for Preliminary Feasibility Study... Full Effort on Remaining Procedures

Eunpyeong District (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced that the Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension project has been selected as a target for the preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Mayor Kim Mi-kyung of Eunpyeong District said, “I welcome the inclusion of the Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension project in the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s preliminary feasibility study targets,” adding, “We will mobilize all administrative support for the remaining procedures to ensure the feasibility study passes swiftly.”

According to the district, on the 28th, the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee selected six projects, including the Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension, as targets for the preliminary feasibility study.

The Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension project, the largest long-awaited project in the northwest region of Seoul, has attracted great interest from local residents of Eunpyeong District, Goyang City, and others as it was selected as a target for the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s feasibility study.

The Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension is a trunk express railway network construction project spanning approximately 18.4 km from Yongsan in Seoul through Eunpyeong District to Samsong in Goyang. It covers new towns where about 120,000 households will be established, including Eunpyeong New Town and the Samsong, Wonheung, Hyangdong, and Jichuk districts in Goyang.

The northwest region of Seoul is a densely populated area due to new town development and land development policies. Despite the explosively increasing transportation demand, the metropolitan transportation network is significantly insufficient, making transportation measures urgently needed.

With the future establishment of the 3rd phase Changneung New Town with 40,000 households, the National Korean Literature Museum, and the Jingwan-dong Artists’ Village, commuting and tourist demands will overlap, leading to severe traffic congestion, making this project essential.

So far, Eunpyeong District has requested the Ministry of Economy and Finance to improve the preliminary feasibility study, including reflecting new transportation demands. It has also delivered a petition signed by 300,000 residents demanding early opening of the northwest extension line to related agencies (Seoul Metropolitan Government, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of Economy and Finance) and held a residents’ resolution rally urging early opening of the Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension, voicing the residents’ wishes.

On June 11 last year, Mayor Kim Mi-kyung met with the Prime Minister and delivered a joint response statement from six basic local governments (Eunpyeong District, Jongno District, Jung District, Yongsan District, Gangnam District, and Goyang City) through which the Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension will pass. On January 20 this year, she strongly demanded the prompt promotion of the project in a meeting with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

In October last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government submitted a withdrawal of the existing route and a route re-planning proposal to ensure the Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension project could be selected as a target for the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s preliminary feasibility study.

Mayor Kim Mi-kyung said, “Residents of Eunpyeong District have endured chronic congestion on Tongil-ro and waited in hope for over 10 years for the early passage of the Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension feasibility study. The central government, including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, should actively accept residents’ demands and promote the project early.”

She added, “This route re-planning proposal is expected to have high economic feasibility. We will do our utmost to ensure that the Shinbundang Line Northwest Extension, a long-awaited project in the northwest, is confirmed as soon as possible.”

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