Oh Se-hoon and Kim In-ho Clash Again... Why?

Seoul City Requests Reconsideration of Partial Amendment to Ordinance on Operation of Seoul Metropolitan Government's Invested and Funded Institutions... Speaker Kim In-ho: "Institutional Safeguards Needed to Prevent Mayor's Abuse of Authority in Appointing Executives of Affiliated Agencies"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Kim In-ho, Chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, responded to Mayor Oh Se-hoon's request for reconsideration of the "Ordinance Partially Amending the Ordinance on the Operation of Seoul Metropolitan City's Invested and Contributed Institutions" submitted by Mayor Oh by stating that institutional safeguards are necessary to prevent Mayor Oh's personnel overreach.

He further stated that legislative efforts must continue to correct the power imbalance between the executive branch and the city council for effective oversight and checks on city administration.

On December 22 last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Council passed a partial amendment to the ordinance on the operation of Seoul Metropolitan City's invested and contributed institutions, revising the proportion of recommenders when forming the executive recommendation committee of Seoul city invested and contributed institutions.

According to the amended ordinance, the proportion of recommenders in the executive recommendation committee of Seoul city-affiliated institutions is revised from "Mayor and institution board 4, city council 3" to "Mayor and institution board 3, city council 3."

In response, the Seoul city government requested reconsideration of the amended ordinance, citing concerns that increasing the city council's recommendation ratio could actively infringe on the mayor's exclusive authority.

Chairperson Kim In-ho first pointed out that last year, during the appointment process of the SH president and non-standing directors of the Agricultural and Marine Products Corporation, the executive recommendation committees of each institution repeatedly rejected the final candidates selected by the committees as "no qualified candidates," causing management vacancies and administrative inefficiencies. This personnel overreach by Mayor Oh Se-hoon was the background for amending the ordinance on the operation of Seoul Metropolitan City's invested and contributed institutions.

Kim explained, "To ensure fair and substantial personnel appointments in Seoul city-affiliated institutions, institutional safeguards such as proper personnel operation standards must be established," adding, "This ordinance amendment was promoted as part of efforts to correct the uneven playing field between the executive branch and the city council and to check Mayor Oh Se-hoon's personnel overreach and abuse of power."

He added, "Now that a reconsideration request has been made, the city council will carefully review the ordinance according to procedures, but the belief that effective measures for oversight of city administration must be continuously prepared remains unchanged."

Finally, Chairperson Kim criticized, "Mayor Oh Se-hoon has faced public criticism for patronage appointments and revolving-door personnel practices," emphasizing again, "Seoul city personnel appointments should not be a means to strengthen the mayor's personal political position but should be responsible and principled appointments to ensure stable operation of Seoul city."

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