The Strong Power of Seoul City Council's First-Term Members... What Is the Source of Their Strength?

In the second half of the 10th Assembly, following the power display of first-term members in the Speaker Kim In-ho election, the Budget and Accounts Committee Chair was also elected from first-term representatives... Additionally, 6 out of 10 standing committee chairs are first-term members

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] There has never been a Seoul Metropolitan Council like this in history. It is uncertain if there will be one in the future.

The Seoul Metropolitan Council is composed of about 80% first-term councilors.

Because of this, the power of the first-term councilors in the 10th Seoul Metropolitan Council is stronger than ever.

Their power was demonstrated from the election of Chairman Kim In-ho.

Chairman Kim actively targeted first-term councilors from the beginning of the 10th council.

Having already run and lost in the chairman candidate election in the first half of the 10th council, Kim spent two years focusing on winning over the first-term councilors.

Ultimately, this election produced a surprise. Most expected the opposing candidate to win, but when the results were revealed, there was a huge margin of 15 votes.

Even former Mayor Park Won-soon called Chairman Kim right after his election to congratulate him, asking, "Amazing. How did you overcome the prevailing trend?"

The power of the first-term councilors was also fully demonstrated in the election for the Seoul Metropolitan Council Budget and Accounts Committee Chairperson.

The first-term councilors of the Democratic Party of Korea held the candidate election first, and after a close contest that went to a runoff, candidate Song Jae-hyuk overturned the initial results to win by a single vote over candidate Jeong Jin-cheol.

The next day, in the election for the Budget and Accounts Committee Chairperson against all Seoul councilors, the same result was repeated.

Although some re-elected councilors ran, they received fewer than five votes and only suffered embarrassment.

In the first half of the 10th council, senior councilors centered on their tenure easily took positions.

This is why councilor Lee Hyun-chan became the Budget and Accounts Committee Chairperson in the first half.

However, after two years of legislative activity and gaining council experience, the first-term councilors have taken the lead, saying, "What does seniority matter?" and are now leading the council centered on first-term councilors.

Because of this, in the second half of the 10th council, first-term councilors hold the majority by occupying six out of the ten standing committee chair positions.

Thus, the Seoul Metropolitan Council has now shifted power to the first-term councilors.

One Seoul councilor said, "Because there are so many first-term councilors, they have united and are raising their voices."