Who Will Be the Next President of Seoul Metro?

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] With Kim Sang-beom, president of Seoul Metro, officially announcing his resignation, attention is turning to the next president.

President Kim expressed his intention to resign to the Seoul Metropolitan Government after being cleared of charges related to the Itaewon tragedy.

As a result, the Seoul Metro President Recommendation Committee (composed of 2 members each from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Metro, and 3 members from the Seoul Metropolitan Council) is expected to convene soon to select a successor.

The corporation employs about 17,000 staff and plays a significant role as the transportation lifeline for over 20 million people in Seoul and the metropolitan area, making a leadership vacancy undesirable.

In particular, due to the ongoing protests by Jeonjangyeon, there is an assessment that the selection of a president should be expedited to ensure stable transportation services for metropolitan citizens.

So far, the leading candidate for the president of Seoul Metro is Baek Ho, former Director of Urban Transportation at the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Former Director Baek is a transportation expert who served as the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Transportation Planning Officer and Director of Urban Transportation, and is regarded as the optimal candidate to lead the corporation.

It is interpreted that the corporation should be led by someone closely connected with the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

This is also because subway policy plays a significant role in Seoul’s transportation policies.

In particular, former Director Baek is a former Seoul city official who communicates directly with Mayor Oh Se-hoon, placing him in a position to greatly contribute to the smooth operation of the corporation.

A Seoul city official stated, “Above all, the president of the corporation should be someone with expertise and leadership who can communicate smoothly with the Seoul Metropolitan Government.”

However, whether former Director Baek can pass the government’s personnel screening process is drawing attention.

This is because, having recently overseen Seoul’s transportation affairs, there may be potential conflicts of interest.

Meanwhile, the auditor position at the corporation has been vacant since December last year, and it is expected that the appointment process will begin immediately after the president is appointed.

Political figures are being mentioned as candidates for the auditor position.