A lifelong Yongsan resident born in 1970, the district's young mayor brings three terms as a district council member and deep community roots to the role
Yongsan-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-dae has been drawing attention for the positive reception he has received from district office staff since taking office in the ninth round of local elections. Employees say his relaxed manner toward them and steady management of the organization have driven the favorable assessments.
Born in 1970, Kim is one of the younger district mayors leading a Seoul autonomous district in the current term. Yet despite his age, he is a seasoned local politician who has built a long track record and solid base in Yongsan.
Kim grew up in Yongsan and, after graduating from Dankook University, joined Samsung Group through its open recruitment process. He later entered politics as a secretary to a National Assembly member from Yongsan.
He then won a seat on the Yongsan District Council and served three consecutive terms, and also served as chairman of a saemaul credit union, accumulating a wide range of community experience. His father also served two terms on the Yongsan District Council, making Kim a second-generation local politician who has built his political foundation in the district across generations.
Having grown up and built his career in Yongsan, Kim is widely regarded as someone with an intimate knowledge of local affairs and a deep understanding of residents and community organizations.
In recent months particularly, his leadership style toward staff inside the district office has been drawing attention.
"District Mayor Kim has shown a very relaxed approach since taking office and is receiving high marks from district office employees," said a team leader at the Yongsan-gu district office.
Compared with his predecessor, Kim treats staff in a noticeably more relaxed and comfortable manner, a dynamic that has generated a positive response within the organization, the team leader said.
A district mayor's leadership is reflected not only in the drive to push through policy but also in relationships with the people who make up the organization. How frontline administrative staff view their district mayor can be an important gauge of organizational morale and operational efficiency.
As a young district mayor with deep roots in the community, Kim Kyung-dae and the kind of change and energy his relaxed leadership style may bring to Yongsan-gu's public service will be worth watching.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
