As Year-End Approaches, Speculation Grows Over Replacement of Seoul's 1st and 2nd Deputy Mayors

End of Year: 1 Year Since Inauguration of Administrative Deputy Mayor 1, 1 Year 10 Months for Administrative Deputy Mayor 2, Replacement Rumors Grow and Successors Discussed, Increased Interest in Year-End Senior Official Positions

Two months into 2024, the year will be over.

Seoul City has prepared a 48 trillion won budget proposal for 2025 and submitted it to the City Council. The budget for next year is expected to be finalized by December 21.

As the year-end approaches, interest in high-level personnel changes in Seoul City is growing, and various rumors are already attracting attention.

In particular, there is increasing interest in the future of the Administrative 1st and 2nd Deputy Mayors of Seoul.

The positions of these two deputy mayors must be decided before personnel changes below the first grade can be made. Especially, public officials at the 3rd grade (Director) level who are about to be promoted are paying close attention to the status of the 1st and 2nd Deputy Mayors.

Meanwhile, inside Seoul City, rumors are almost confirmed that both the Administrative 1st and 2nd Deputy Mayors will step down at the end of the year.

It is being confirmed that both the 1st and 2nd Deputy Mayors of Seoul City will resign at the end of the year. The Administrative 1st Deputy Mayor has served for one year since appointment, and the open-type Administrative 2nd Deputy Mayor was appointed on February 6 last year, serving for one year and ten months, and is expected to hand over to a successor.

Accordingly, there are rumors that the Planning and Coordination Office Director will take over as the Administrative 1st Deputy Mayor, and the Disaster and Safety Office Director will become the Administrative 2nd Deputy Mayor.

If this happens, Seoul City is expected to see a chain of promotions and transfers among executives due to these movements, which will invigorate the organization.

However, it is heard that there are few people among the first-grade officials who will step down. This is because Mayor Oh is expected to prioritize organizational stability rather than shaking up the entire personnel.

Meanwhile, it is anticipated that about 7 to 8 positions for 3rd grade promotions will open up, including 5 people entering retirement at the end of the year.

Because of this, candidates expecting promotion to the 3rd grade are becoming increasingly tense as the year-end approaches. A Seoul City executive said, “Interest in personnel matters is growing as the year-end approaches,” and added, “Having served in public office in Seoul City for over 30 years, it is natural to have ambitions for promotion,” showing enthusiasm.

Above all, promotion is the highest hope for public officials.