Most of Seoul's 25 deputy district mayors are senior civil servants at the grade-2 or grade-3 level of the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
Working alongside elected district mayors, they help improve residents' quality of life together with workforces of 1,200 to 2,000 staff — making them, in a word, the district mayor's top aide.
The role is comparable to how acting First Administrative Vice Mayor Jeong Sang-hun, Second Administrative Vice Mayor Kim Seong-bo, acting Planning and Coordination Office chief Lee Dong-ryul, and the heads of various bureaus and departments support Mayor Oh Se-hoon's policies at the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
Yet the job is far from simple. Deputy district mayors must accurately read the district mayor's campaign pledges and policy direction and convey them to the organization — while also channeling staff voices and the mood of the office back up to the mayor. They must also act as a bridge between the district and both the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the central government to resolve local issues.
It is no surprise, then, that a considerable number of senior Seoul city officials have moved into deputy district mayor roles and stayed for years.
The most prominent example is Kim Jin-man, deputy district mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, who is serving in that capacity for the fourth time — having previously held the post in Gangdong-gu, Seodaemun-gu and Gangnam-gu.
Jeong Heon-jae of Gangseo-gu is on his third stint, having served in Gangseo-gu and Gangnam-gu before returning to Gangseo-gu again.
Choe Hong-yeon of Songpa-gu is serving as deputy district mayor for the second time, following an earlier term in Dongdaemun-gu.
Lee In-geun of Dobong-gu is also on his second posting, after Geumcheon-gu. Shin Jong-u of Nowon-gu previously served in Eunpyeong-gu; Kim Tae-hui of Dongjak-gu in Jungnang-gu; Lee Yeong-gi of Gwanak-gu in Yeongdeungpo-gu; and Gang Ok-hyeon of Seodaemun-gu in Yangcheon-gu — each now in their second deputy district mayor role.
Bae Hyeong-u of Jung-gu is on his second posting after Dongjak-gu. Jeong Sang-taek of Jungnang-gu previously served in Mapo-gu; Baek Un-seok of Seocho-gu in Dobong-gu; Kim Gi-hyeon of Gwangjin-gu in Dongdaemun-gu; and Jo Mi-suk of Dongdaemun-gu in Seodaemun-gu.
Kim Gwang-deok of Yongsan-gu and Sa Chang-hun of Geumcheon-gu are likewise each on their second posting, following earlier terms in Yeongdeungpo-gu and Dongjak-gu, respectively.
By contrast, Choe Gyeong-ju of Seongbuk-gu, Kim Gyeong-tak of Gangdong-gu, Yun Bo-yeong of Gangbuk-gu, Choe Won-seok of Guro-gu, O Gyeong-hui of Mapo-gu, Go Gwang-hyeon of Seongdong-gu, Ha Yeong-tae of Yangcheon-gu, An Hyeong-jun of Eunpyeong-gu, Kim Su-deok of Gangnam-gu and Lee Jun-hyeong of Jongno-gu are all serving as deputy district mayor for the first time.
Their backgrounds are equally varied. All are veterans who built long careers in public administration at the Seoul Metropolitan Government and individual districts, having entered the civil service through the national or local administrative examinations, open recruitment at the grade-7 or grade-9 level, or special appointment tracks.
A deputy district mayor's daily workload is no less demanding. Keeping track of the district mayor's campaign pledge projects and key policies is the baseline. When problems arise with the Seoul Metropolitan Government or central ministries, the deputy must step in personally to resolve them — visiting major complaint sites and attending strategy meetings for district public relations.
The workload intensifies particularly during disasters such as extreme heat approaching 40 degrees Celsius or the heavy downpours that have become common in recent weeks.
When the district mayor is away on vacation or a business trip, the deputy is in effect responsible for running the district. Visiting senior centers and vulnerable neighborhoods to check on the safety of elderly residents and those in need also falls to the deputy district mayor.
It is, in every sense, a role that demands someone who can do it all.
Above all else, however, internal trust is paramount. No matter how well a deputy works with the district mayor, the organization cannot function if bureau and division chiefs and rank-and-file staff do not have confidence in the deputy.
Conversely, when staff say among themselves that their deputy district mayor is both capable and of good character, the district mayor has little choice but to give that person more authority and support.
Ultimately, the formula for becoming a long-serving deputy district mayor looks simple but is anything but. The deputy must properly support the district mayor above, communicate constantly with staff below, and engage the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the central government to resolve local issues.
On the other hand, an authoritarian attitude or gapjil — the abuse of power over subordinates — generates negative assessments within the organization that even the district mayor cannot ignore.
Deputy district mayors tend to remain in the shadows behind their elected superiors. But if the district mayor is the captain who sets the course for the district, the deputy is the chief engineer who keeps the ship of the organization running properly.
Earning the trust of the district mayor and the respect of the staff — that is how Seoul's 25 deputy district mayors do their jobs, and how the best of them endure.
Meanwhile, some former deputy district mayors have gone on to win elected district mayor posts of their own. Seo Gang-seok, the district mayor of Songpa-gu, is a former deputy district mayor of Seongdong-gu who won re-election. Yu Bo-hwa, the district mayor of Seongdong-gu, moved directly from deputy district mayor of Seongdong-gu to the elected top post.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
