Seoul City Holds Confirmation Hearings for Appointments of Administrative Deputy Mayors 1 and 2

The scope of personnel hearings by the Seoul Metropolitan Council has been expanded to include 'Administrative Deputy Mayors 1 and 2,' who are political appointee national public officials, as well as heads of local public corporations, local public enterprises, and investment and contribution institutions. Political appointee local public officials, such as political deputy mayors, are excluded...Representative Choi Hojung stated, “Taking this strengthened system as an opportunity, we will thoroughly verify the competencies that public office candidates must possess and make the personnel hearings a process through which talented individuals work for the citizens.”

Personnel hearings will also be held when appointing Seoul Metropolitan Administrative Deputy Mayors 1 and 2.

On the 30th, Seoul Metropolitan Council member Choi Hojung (People Power Party Representative, Seocho 4) proposed a partial amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan Council Basic Ordinance, which specifies the expanded scope of personnel hearings pursuant to the newly established Article 47-2 of the Local Autonomy Act, and the 'Seoul Metropolitan Council Personnel Hearing Ordinance' concerning the formation and operation of the Special Committee on Personnel Hearings.

Until now, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Metropolitan Council have made autonomous efforts to overcome the limitations of personnel verification due to insufficient legal grounds.

The Basic Ordinance of the Seoul Metropolitan Council includes a provision for the verification of heads of subordinate organizations, and personnel hearings have been conducted through two agreements signed in 2015 and 2017 titled 'Agreement on the Implementation of Personnel Hearings between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Metropolitan Council.'

Choi Hojung, Floor Leader

The proposal of these two ordinances is being promoted ahead of the enforcement of the Local Autonomy Act, which establishes the legal basis for personnel hearings for political appointee national public officials such as administrative deputy mayors and heads of subordinate organizations appointed by local government heads.

If the ordinance passes the plenary session, it will take effect on September 22, and for local governments excluding Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Administrative Deputy Mayors 1 and 2 will be the first to be subject to personnel hearings.

According to the amendment to the Local Autonomy Act, political deputy mayors, who are local public officials, are excluded, unlike administrative deputy mayors, who are national public officials.

Additionally, heads of local public corporations and local public enterprises pursuant to Articles 49 and 76 of the Local Public Enterprises Act, as well as heads of investment and contribution institutions under Article 2, Paragraph 1, the first clause of the Act on the Operation of Local Government Investment and Contribution Institutions, are also included in the scope of personnel hearings.

Representative Choi Hojung stated, “With the amendment of the Local Autonomy Act and the proposal of the ordinance, the scope of personnel hearings will be expanded and strengthened to include Seoul’s Administrative Deputy Mayors 1 and 2, heads of subordinate organizations, and heads of investment and contribution institutions. We will thoroughly verify candidates’ management capabilities, policy execution abilities, and attitudes toward serving citizens, and operate this as an effective system that enables talented individuals to work for the citizens.”

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