The 12th Seoul Metropolitan Council is composed of 80 seats held by the Democratic Party of Korea and 38 by the People Power Party. With the Democratic Party securing an overwhelming majority, attention inside and outside the council focused on who would claim the speakership for the first half of the term.
Six senior Democratic Party lawmakers entered the primary for speaker, including five-term lawmaker Kim Ki-deok and four-term lawmaker Kim In-je. Most observers predicted either Kim Ki-deok, who had served the most terms, or Kim In-je would prevail.
The outcome defied expectations. Three-term lawmaker Im Man-gyun, representing Gwanak District 3, finished first in the primary and was nominated as the Democratic Party's speaker candidate. He went on to win election as speaker of the 12th Seoul Metropolitan Council in a full plenary session — a result widely described as an upset.
Political observers say Im's victory was not simply a surprise but the product of trust and personal relationships he had built over time.
Those familiar with the council say his greatest competitive advantage was his consistently humble approach to colleagues regardless of seniority, and his reputation for maintaining cordial relationships untethered to any particular faction. During the primary, he earned high marks for his final policy address to fellow lawmakers, which conveyed sincerity and steady leadership.
Born in 1978, Im became the youngest speaker in the history of the Seoul Metropolitan Council. Yet what draws more attention than his age, observers say, is the way he treats people.
Assessments of Im from both Democratic Party and People Power Party members have been broadly positive.
Kim Hyeon-gi, the current Gangnam district mayor who served as speaker of the 11th Seoul Metropolitan Council during its first half, said immediately after Im was nominated as the Democratic Party's speaker candidate: "This is an upset. He is a reasonable and gentle person, and I have high expectations."
Jeong Ji-kwon, a former lawmaker who served on the 10th Seoul Metropolitan Council, also offered congratulations, saying, "I am truly delighted that Im Man-gyun, a genuinely humble junior colleague, has been selected as the speaker candidate."
His leadership since taking office has also drawn favorable reviews.
A senior Seoul Metropolitan Council official said Im "seems to approach people with more humility than any previous speaker," adding that he "demonstrates democratic leadership by listening carefully to staff opinions before making important decisions."
Another official said it was "impressive to see him communicate openly with both lawmakers and staff alike," noting that "the overall atmosphere within the organization has become noticeably warmer."
Ultimately, observers say Im's election illustrates that the ability to build trust and communicate with people can be a stronger asset than seniority alone.
Attention is now turning to whether Im can sustain stable council operations through cross-party cooperation and open internal communication in the months ahead.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
