Attention is turning to what roles Seoul Metropolitan Council members Kim In-je (Guro District 2, four-term) and Kang Dong-gil (Seongbuk-gu 3, three-term) will pursue in the second half of the 12th council term.
The Seoul Metropolitan Council organizes its leadership — including the speaker, deputy speakers and standing committee chairs — in two separate two-year halves. The first half of the 12th council got under way under Speaker Im Man-gyun and Deputy Speakers Seong Heum-je and Lee Seong-bae.
Both the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party now select their speaker, deputy speaker and standing committee chair candidates through internal primaries, marking a shift away from the longstanding practice of deferring to seniority and age.
With a wave of younger lawmakers entering the council and individual legislative performance and intraparty communication skills growing in importance, senior members can no longer claim top posts on tenure alone.
The clearest sign of that shift was three-term member Im Man-gyun's upset selection as the first-half speaker candidate. Im is widely seen as a strong contender for the next Gwanak-gu district mayor seat, given that incumbent Park Jun-hui is a three-term district mayor and therefore ineligible to run again.
If this trend continues, the primary for the second-half speaker — to be held in two years — is expected to be fiercely contested. Legislative performance, leadership and relationships with fellow council members during the first two years are seen as the key factors that will determine the outcome.
Kim and Kang are currently the most prominently mentioned candidates for the second-half speakership.
Born in 1974, Kim has won four consecutive terms since first entering the Seoul Metropolitan Council in the ninth term. He has held a range of key party and council positions, including Democratic Party floor leader in the ninth term, chair of the Urban Planning and Balanced Development Committee in the 10th term, and deputy speaker in the second half of the 11th term.
Currently serving on the Administrative Affairs and Autonomy Committee, Kim is widely expected to mount another bid for the speakership in the second half, given his extensive legislative experience and organizational management skills.
Kang, born in 1964, graduated from Sungkyunkwan University's law school and worked as a certified labor attorney before entering the Seoul Metropolitan Council in the 10th term. He went on to win consecutive terms in the 11th and 12th councils, building a three-term record. He chaired the Urban Safety and Construction Committee during the 11th council.
Kang, who currently sits on the Health and Welfare Committee, is being discussed as a potential candidate for both the second-half speakership and the next Seongbuk-gu district mayor election. With incumbent District Mayor Lee Seung-ro completing his third and final term and barred from seeking re-election, Kang is seen as a possible contender for the seat.
Ultimately, Kang may face a choice between pursuing the Seoul Metropolitan Council speakership and running for Seongbuk-gu district mayor.
Kim and Kang both competed in the primary for the first-half speakership of the 12th council. Whether the two will face off again in the second-half speaker race — drawing on the support bases each demonstrated during that earlier contest — is drawing close attention.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
