[The Editors' Verdict] How Did Yongin Become the "Graveyard of Mayors"?

Kyung-ho Lee, Head of Social Affairs Division

In the 1970s, the population of Yongin City was less than 100,000. With the construction of the Gyeongbu Expressway and a development boom, the population grew exponentially. It is now a special city with 1.07 million residents. Once an agricultural and mixed urban-rural city, Yongin has become home to major corporations such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, serving as a logistics hub connecting the metropolitan area and provinces. It is symbolized by large apartment complexes, the top eight school districts for golf, and Everland. Another name for Yongin is the "graveyard of mayors." Except for the current mayor running for re-election, all previous mayors of Yongin have been involved in various corruption scandals. The first elected mayor was implicated in construction company bribery, the second in apartment reconstruction corruption, the third in misconduct related to the Yongin Light Rail Transit project, the fourth in personnel corruption, and the fifth in construction company solicitations and bribery. All suffered disgrace. The sixth elected mayor, Jeong Chan-min, entered the National Assembly after stepping down in 2018 but was arrested in October last year on charges of bribery involving a third party and is currently on bail awaiting trial. The case involved construction-related corruption.

Uiryeong County in Gyeongnam, a tiny local government with a population of 26,381 (as of 2022), and Hwasun County in Jeonnam, with over 60,000 residents, are known as "graveyards of county heads." Since 2010, county heads elected in Uiryeong have consecutively been indicted and brought to trial. Cases included embezzling public funds for election expenses, using gangsters to threaten journalists who wrote negative articles, and allegations of sexual crimes.

Hwasun County has a "dark history" of husband and wife county heads, brothers serving as county heads, and successive downfalls. In 2002, County Head Im Ho-gyeong lost his position less than a month after taking office due to a confirmed Supreme Court conviction for election law violations. His wife was later elected in a by-election. Subsequently, candidate Jeon Wan-jun was elected but was arrested and stepped down shortly after for election law violations. In the by-election held that year, his brother was elected but also fell from office mid-term due to election law violations. The baton was passed to County Head Hong Ui-sik, who was imprisoned for bribery. The current County Head Koo Choong-gon, who was re-elected, did not run in this election, but his close aides, including the chief secretary and general affairs manager, are currently imprisoned on bribery charges for awarding public contracts. Many other local governments have similarly written or are writing dark and tragic histories.

According to statistics from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, 139 elected officials were indicted for election law violations in the June 13, 2018 local elections. Including those who lost, a total of 4,207 people were investigated. A total of 1,809 were brought to trial, including 56 who were detained and indicted. According to a March 2018 report by Segye Ilbo, from the first elected local government officials in 1995 to the sixth term in 2017, 364 local heads were indicted for election law violations and bribery charges. This accounts for 24.7% of the 1,474 local heads elected during that period. During the first to sixth terms, 114 local heads (7.7%) did not complete their terms and resigned.

The position of local government head can be a cradle for some and a grave for others. If one works diligently as a local servant, re-election and even third terms are possible. However, the authority over personnel and permits is a poisoned chalice. With just this power, one can control the local government and economy. Those who have run for president or served as members of the National Assembly also throw their hats in the ring claiming they will be "local servants." If voters go to the polls judging only by color (political party) without considering the person or policies, and vote based on school ties, blood relations, or regionalism, the damage will fall squarely on the local residents. The victims of the Daejang-dong scandal, which became a money feast for those blinded by development, were ultimately the local residents as well.