Seoul names new economic chief, night economy envoy

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has appointed Kim Hyun-woo, former chief executive of the Seoul Business Agency (SBA), as director general of economic affairs, the city's top post overseeing economic and industrial policy. Lee Ji-hyun, a former planning adviser to the city, was named special adviser for night economy — a role dedicated to one of the key priorities of the current mayoral term.

Kim reorganized the agency into the SBA after taking the helm and successfully launched Seoulcon, a global influencer festival. He has been credited with expanding the Youth Employment Academy and providing systematic support for promising companies — from growth and market development to overseas expansion — to strengthen Seoul's startup and industrial ecosystem.

A city official said Kim was the right fit for the director general post, which is responsible for securing Seoul's future growth engines, including fostering high-value-added industries, developing talent suited to the AI era and revitalizing the everyday economy.

The special adviser for night economy is a direct advisory body to the Seoul mayor, tasked with advising on night economy revitalization policy, establishing a vision and strategy for the night economy, developing four major nighttime landmarks and building the "Seoul's Night" brand.

Lee previously served as Seoul's special adviser for vision strategy and planning, where she conceived a series of city branding projects — including the "Seoul, My Soul" campaign, the Haechi character and Seoul ramyun. She also contributed to the planning and public-facing rollout of city initiatives such as the subway Runner's Station, Seoul Learn and Wrist Doctor 9988. She has been widely recognized inside and outside city hall for her ability to translate policy into experiences citizens can feel.

The city said Lee was the ideal candidate for the role, which demands a deep understanding of city administration and expertise in planning.

"The director general of economic affairs will oversee Seoul's economic policy and execution across the economy, industry and jobs, while the special adviser for night economy will work to expand Seoul's nighttime into a new economic frontier — forming a two-pillar structure," a city official said.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government also appointed Jin Jae-seop, former director of the urban railway bureau under the city's urban infrastructure headquarters, as head of the Seoul Water Reclamation Facilities Corporation, effective Tuesday. Jin's term runs three years from Tuesday.

Jin began his public service career with the Seoul Metropolitan Government in 1995 and has accumulated about 31 years of diverse administrative and field experience across postings that include the World Cup Main Stadium Construction Unit, the water reclamation facilities division, the Future Han River headquarters and the urban infrastructure headquarters.

Jin appeared before the Seoul Metropolitan Council for a confirmation hearing on Friday, where he was vetted on his management philosophy, plans for running the corporation and his capacity to fulfill the role. "The stable operation of water reclamation facilities is a vital public service directly tied to citizens' daily lives, and I feel the weight of that responsibility as head of this organization," he said.