Kim Ki-deok wins fifth Seoul council term, becoming assembly's longest-serving member

Kim Ki-deok, a Democratic Party of Korea member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council representing Mapo-gu District 4, won his fifth term in the June 3 local elections, becoming both the oldest and longest-serving member of the 12th Seoul Metropolitan Council.

Kim held a campaign dissolution ceremony Wednesday and said he would serve as "a community worker who leads the kind of change this era demands, to open a golden age for Mapo."

Having secured 60.16% of the vote — a commanding margin — Kim said, "If the past four years were a stagnant period spent as a member of the minority party, I will repay that with four years of energetic politics."

During the 11th council term, Kim was widely regarded as the elder statesman among his colleagues, drawing praise for his sharp instincts and seasoned judgment across the full range of legislative work — administrative audits, budget drafting and deliberation, and the enactment and revision of ordinances.

His consistent engagement with residents throughout four terms and his dedication to Mapo's development were reflected in the strong vote share he received in this election.

"Now that we are the majority party, I will properly fulfill the oversight role — ensuring city administration sets the right course and delivers governance that looks only to the citizens," Kim said, expressing firm resolve. He added that he would focus on his core duty of scrutinizing the executive branch's policies and projects, particularly to prevent wasteful spending of taxpayer money and to put a stop to performative governance.

Kim first entered the Seoul Metropolitan Council in the 5th term, ahead of the 2002 World Cup, and became so closely associated with the Seoul World Cup Stadium that he earned the nickname "the World Cup councilman." He is credited as the driving force behind an effort that pushed Mapo-gu's development some 30 years ahead of schedule. His pointed questioning of then-Seoul Mayor Ko Kun — in which he laid out a detailed and practical vision for the entire area surrounding the stadium — was widely covered in the press at the time.

During the 8th council term, Kim made the construction of an urban railway linking the northwestern and southwestern parts of the city his top legislative priority. He led the selection of a 12-kilometer candidate subway route connecting Hongik University Station to Seongsan, Sangam, Gayang and Hwagok — effectively laying the groundwork for what is now known as the Daejang-Hongdae Line, celebrated as the completion of the western Seoul transit network.

His efforts came to full fruition when he served as deputy speaker in the latter half of the 10th council term. He was credited with resolving a range of outstanding issues in his district while drawing out the strengths of colleagues across the ruling and opposition parties, helping build a council that gave citizens a sense of purpose and hope.

During his time as deputy speaker, Kim called his office an "open deputy speaker's office," throwing it open to fellow council members and citizens alike as a forum for policy discussion and dialogue.

Among Seoul Metropolitan Government civil servants, Kim has a well-established reputation as a "reasonable lawmaker." His guiding philosophy is that while oversight and scrutiny of the executive branch are essential duties of a council member, securing the budgets needed to advance local development requires rational thinking and the ability to offer workable alternatives.

"To persuade civil servants and build a case for feasibility, you always have to approach things in a rational way," Kim said. "That has been the foundation for securing substantial budgets over the years — budgets that have accelerated local development and improved residents' quality of life."

Kim is set to begin a new four-year term on July 1, and he acknowledged the weight of his position as the sole five-term member across both the ruling and opposition parties and the most senior figure in the council. It is precisely that sense of responsibility that makes his next chapter one to watch.