It will be 30 years next year since local autonomy was revived in our country. It can be said to have reached adulthood. With this, the day when local autonomy will fully blossom is not far off.
In particular, Seoul citizens have elected the mayor and 25 district heads for the 8th time. As the history of local autonomy in Korea accumulates, citizens' awareness of autonomy is also steadily rising.
Amid this, attention is focused on the evaluations of three Seoul National University alumni among the current 8th term elected district heads in Seoul: Ryu Kyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu; Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu; and Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu.
In particular, they are recognized for their outstanding skills and character, having passed the civil service exam, held key positions in Seoul City, and worked in central government ministries and other roles, boasting impressive careers.
Ryu Kyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, shows achievements in regional development as a re-elected mayor, continues humble actions by cleaning alleys every Wednesday, earning residents' applause
Ryukyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu (third from the left), has shown a humble approach by cleaning various areas of the district every Wednesday without missing a week since his inauguration as the 7th elected mayor of Jungnang-gu. Recently, he received the 'Alley Cleaning King' award from local residents.
Ryu Kyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Political Science and entered Seoul City through the administrative civil service exam. He has held top positions such as Director of the Administration Bureau, Spokesperson, Chief of the Planning Office, and First Deputy Mayor of Administration, following the highest career path in Seoul City. This demonstrates that his skills are second to none. In particular, Mayor Ryu was praised as a "First Deputy Mayor of Administration who appears once in a hundred years" for his outstanding abilities. A district official said on the 6th, "When I met Deputy Mayor Ryu while working at Seoul City, I could see how neatly he handled tasks," proudly calling him one of the best deputy mayors in history.
Before the 7th local elections, Ryu was asked by politicians to run for Mayor of Jungnang-gu. After much consideration, he decided to run and was elected, firmly establishing his position as a re-elected mayor.
Since taking office, Mayor Ryu has been known for his humble approach, cleaning various parts of the district with residents every Wednesday. Notably, he has shown remarkable achievements in creating an educational city, such as the establishment of the Bang Jeong-hwan Education Center and the "Reading 1,000 Books Before School" program, earning strong support from parents. In the 8th term election held right after the presidential election, he demonstrated his strength by winning with a margin of over 10,000 votes against his opponent.
Mayor Ryu is also leading major regional development projects, including upgrading Mangwoo Station's Sawmill Park, revitalizing local tourism resources, relocating the SH headquarters, and promoting the construction of a professional performance hall.
Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, receives applause for consistently considerate attitude toward staff and providing high-quality administrative services to residents
Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, graduated from Seoul National University Law School and entered Seoul City through the administrative civil service exam. He has held key positions such as Director of Administration and Director of General Affairs, served as Senior Administrative Officer at the Blue House, spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Deputy Mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City, and Consul General in Thailand, showcasing his capabilities.
Since being elected as the 8th term Mayor of Seocho-gu, Mayor Jeon has been expanding efforts to upgrade the local cultural infrastructure.
He was the first in Seoul to implement restrictions on large mart operations on holidays, which has been praised for benefiting not only residents but also businesses.
Mayor Jeon is expected to create a shining chapter in Seocho-gu's history by putting issues such as the Seocho-gu Office complex development on track.
Additionally, the "Seocho Women’s Job Corporation," a specialized job creation institution established nationwide for the first time in 2021 to support socially vulnerable groups and women with career breaks, has marked its third anniversary with a turnaround to profitability, solidifying its operational foundation.
Mayor Jeon shows exceptional care for all staff, including the deputy mayor, earning him the unreserved reputation among employees as the "best mayor in Seocho-gu history."
This evaluation seems to stem from his consistent demeanor, combining both skill and character.
On the 28th and 29th, Mayor Jeon plans to hold the "2024 Seoripul Festival" on Banpo-daero from Seocho Station to the Seocho 3-dong intersection, offering residents the experience of open roads on weekends and a rich cultural enjoyment.
Mayor Jeon also shows a humble attitude by visiting the district once a week to communicate with residents, which is highly appreciated by the community.
Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, strives to enhance scientific mindset among future generations of youth and works hard to create flower gardens, moss gardens, and waterway gardens
Choi Ho-kwon, Yeongdeungpo District Mayor (second from the right), is taking a commemorative photo with residents after creating a moss garden in Dangsan Park.
Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Food Engineering and passed the administrative civil service exam through self-study. He has served as Policy Secretary to the Seoul Mayor, Administrative Officer at the Blue House, Director of Exhibition and Research at the National Gwacheon Science Museum under the Ministry of Science and ICT, and Consul General at the Embassy in India, before being elected as the 8th term Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu.
Since taking office, Mayor Choi has visited all senior citizen centers in the district, receiving applause. He also held meetings with parents and recently has been visiting one of the 18 neighborhoods each day, showing active communication with residents.
In particular, Mayor Choi has been praised by parents for actively supporting initiatives such as subsidizing admission fees to the National Gwacheon Science Museum and visits to Samsung Electronics headquarters to stimulate students' interest in science and technology, aiming to lead the nation's future in the AI era.
Alongside this, in line with Seoul City's declaration as a garden city, Yeongdeungpo-gu declared itself a "City of Flowers and Gardens," creating flower gardens in Mullae-dong, moss gardens in Dangsan Park, waterway gardens in the former Ankara Park, establishing the "Poet Gu Sang Street," and enthusiastically developing "one clay road (healthy barefoot path) per neighborhood."
Since Mayor Choi took office, Mayor Oh Se-hoon has consecutively provided "nuclear bomb-level regional development gifts," including the construction of the 2nd Sejong Center in Yeouido and ultra-high-rise reconstruction projects, raising residents' expectations for regional development higher than ever.
Mayor Choi shows exceptional affection for his staff and leads administration with firm principles despite his quiet personality, earning great applause from both employees and residents.
An official from Yeongdeungpo-gu praised, "Mayor Choi is a respected leader among staff for his quiet personality and strong principles in administration without overexerting himself, embodying a strong yet gentle leadership style."
These three district heads are evaluated as rare mayors who possess not only skills but also excellent character.
In particular, as former public officials, they do not make unreasonable demands on their subordinates, and district employees working under such mayors are considered very fortunate.
As the history of local autonomy accumulates, the demand for higher-quality local autonomy leaders is increasing not only among Seoul citizens but also nationwide.
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