Democratic candidates Kim Seung-hyun, 35, in Gangseo-gu and Lee Dong-hyun, 34, in Jung-gu both lost their bids for district mayor — analysts say voters weighed experience and administrative track record over youth and fresh appeal
A Seoul district mayor oversees an annual budget of roughly 1 trillion won (about $654 million) and commands a civil servant workforce of 1,500 to 2,000 people. Factor in affiliated facility management corporations, cultural foundations and employment agencies, and the position effectively leads an organization of 2,000 to 3,000 or more — earning the informal title of "local president" for the sweeping authority it carries.
Despite the scale of the role, a string of candidates in their 30s have recently stepped forward to seek it. All of them have lost.
In the eighth round of local elections for the Gangseo-gu district mayor's seat, Kim Seung-hyun — then 35 years old — ran on the Democratic Party ticket and was defeated. A former aide to the district's National Assembly member, he was the youngest candidate among Seoul's district mayoral hopefuls at the time and drew considerable attention for it.
The race went to People Power Party candidate Kim Tae-woo, who collected roughly 187,000 votes, or about 51 percent, while Kim Seung-hyun received approximately 172,000 votes, or about 47 percent — a margin of some 15,000 ballots.
The election was held shortly after Yoon Suk Yeol won the presidency, and the mood of political change worked strongly in the conservative candidate's favor. Analysts noted that even Gangseo-gu, long considered Democratic Party-leaning territory, saw conservative voters consolidate behind Kim Tae-woo.
Four years later, a nearly identical scene played out in the ninth round of local elections, held Saturday.
Lee Dong-hyun, a 34-year-old Democratic Party candidate, challenged incumbent district mayor Kim Gil-seong in Jung-gu — and lost by roughly 4,200 votes.
Lee had served as a Seoul Metropolitan Council member and as a National Assembly aide, but analysts say he entered the race at a disadvantage. Compared with incumbent Kim Gil-seong, who carried the premium of an established administrative record and organizational experience, Lee's credentials in those areas were seen as relatively thin.
Political observers in the district say voters tend to place heavy weight on a candidate's administrative experience and track record when choosing someone to run a large public organization — and the district mayor's office is exactly that kind of role.
One data point reinforces that: the average age of a Grade 7 civil servant in Seoul's autonomous districts runs from the late 30s to the early 40s. Analysts say a meaningful number of voters likely felt uneasy about the prospect of a district mayor in his early 30s leading a civil service of several thousand people.
That sentiment carried particular weight in Jung-gu, where the proportion of older residents is especially high.
"It's true that people at the senior center were saying Lee Dong-hyun had passion but was too young," one elderly Jung-gu resident said. "There were quite a few who felt the district mayor should be someone with more experience."
Analysts caution, however, that neither result should be read as a verdict against candidates simply because they are in their 30s. What the two elections revealed, they say, is what voters actually prioritize in a district mayor: youth and fresh appeal alone are not enough. What ultimately decided both races was how convincingly each candidate could demonstrate the administrative experience, local roots and organizational ability to back them up.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
