Former Seongdong District Mayor Ko Jae-deuk from the Democratic Party, elected as Seongdong District Mayor in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th terms, draws attention as current Mayor Jeong Won-oh serves the 6th, 7th, and 8th terms
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Since the election of Ko Jae-deuk, former General Affairs Director of the Democratic Party, as the first directly elected mayor of Seongdong-gu, he served three consecutive terms as mayor through the 2nd and 3rd direct elections.
Legally limited to three consecutive terms, Ko Jae-deuk took a four-year break and was again elected as the mayor of Seongdong-gu in the 5th direct election in 2010, setting a national record as the first 'four-term mayor.'
Ko Jae-deuk, former mayor of Seongdong District
Because of this, Ko Jae-deuk is still nicknamed 'Seongdong-gu Mayor = Ko Jae-deuk,' leaving a significant mark in the history of local autonomy in Seongdong-gu.
After former Mayor Ko Jae-deuk, current Mayor Jung Won-oh was elected for the 6th, 7th, and now the 8th term, setting a record as a 'three-term Seongdong-gu mayor.'
What is the secret behind former Mayor Ko Jae-deuk and current Mayor Jung Won-oh leading Seongdong-gu for 28 years?
First, former Mayor Ko Jae-deuk is recognized as a figure who advanced Seongdong-gu, which was a backward area. Through redevelopment in the Kumho and Oksu-dong areas, transforming them into apartment complexes, and the settlement of Wangsimni New Town, he transformed the once hilly neighborhood image into a middle-class district.
Because of this, residents of Gwangjin-gu still lament, "In the past, Gwangjin-gu was more developed than Seongdong-gu, but somehow Seongdong-gu has surpassed us."
Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong District
Former Mayor Ko also built public parking lots in every neighborhood, established libraries and gymnasiums where there were none, satisfying the cultural needs of middle-class residents.
In particular, he constructed the current Seongdong-gu Office building and the district council building on a former U.S. military site, improving working conditions for employees. He was regarded as an honest mayor, earning the reputation of a 'four-term mayor' and still commands respect from district office staff.
Behind Mayor Ko was also the role of former Kim Jun-gon, former Director of Seongdong-gu Smart Inclusion Bureau, who quietly carried out duties for 11 years since 1999.
The foundation for Mayor Jung Won-oh's rise to a 'three-term Seongdong-gu mayor' is also linked to former Mayor Ko.
Former Mayor Ko appointed Jung Won-oh, who served as aide to National Assembly member Lim Jong-seok for eight years, as head of the Seongdong Urban Management Corporation, providing a platform for Jung to participate in Seongdong's administration.
Building on this foundation, Mayor Jung was elected in 2014 as the 6th directly elected mayor and focused on developing the Seongsu area through projects like the creation of Seongsu Venture Valley.
Seongdong-gu was a region where, in the March 9 20th presidential election, People Power Party candidate Yoon Seok-youl received over 20,000 votes (10%) more than Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung. Known as part of the so-called 'Mayongsung (Mapo-Yongsan-Seongdong)' area with high housing prices, the local election was widely expected to be challenging.
Nevertheless, in this local election, Mayor Jung Won-oh won by a margin of about 21,000 votes over his opponent, drawing attention to his special care for residents.
In Seongdong-gu, it was revealed that 60.9% of those who voted for Seoul mayor candidate Oh Se-hoon also voted for Mayor Jung Won-oh (who received 57.6% of the vote), which is noteworthy.
Despite a tough election battle marked by a rematch between former and current Seoul deputy mayors, Jung's victory and re-election success led Jung Gyeong-gi, mayor of Jungnang-gu, to say to reporters on the afternoon of the 2nd, "We need to understand the background of Mayor Jung Won-oh's overwhelming victory under difficult conditions."
It is evaluated that Mayor Jung's large victory was primarily due to voters aged 60 and over giving him more support compared to other districts.
This is analyzed to be effective because Mayor Jung was the first to start vaccinations for seniors during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and provided masks, capturing the elderly vote.
A resident of Seongdong-gu said, "Not only did Mayor Jung do a good job, but his sincere efforts toward seniors aged 60 and above are why, unlike other districts where seniors overwhelmingly voted for People Power Party candidates, in Seongdong-gu they supported Mayor Jung."
In any case, Mayor Jung Won-oh's dedication and management toward local residents are seen as significantly reflected in this election result.
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