Sangjin Shin Criticizes: "Seongnam's 910,000 Residents Need a Deputy Mayor Before Worrying About the Middle Investigation Office Chief"

Sangjin Shin, Seongnam Mayor, Directly Criticizes Governor Choo Mi-ae on Social Media
"Does It Make Sense to Delay Appointments Until January Next Year?"
Deputy Mayor Serves as Disaster Response Chief
and Chair of 70 Key Committees
"Seven-Month Vacancy... Who Will Be Responsible for the Safety of 910,000 Residents?"
"City Administration Must Not Be Held Hostage"
Calls on Gyeonggi Province to Fill Deputy Mayor Vacancy

"Before raising concerns about the appointment of a Middle Investigation Office chief, which is not directly related to Gyeonggi Province, you should first take care of the appointment of the Seongnam City Deputy Mayor. How does it make sense to delay the staffing until January next year? Who will be responsible for the safety of Seongnam's 910,000 residents?"

Sangjin Shin, Mayor of Seongnam. Provided by Seongnam City

Sangjin Shin, Mayor of Seongnam, strongly criticized Choo Mi-ae, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, over the prolonged vacancy of the Deputy Mayor position. He urged that the city should not postpone the appointment due to organizational restructuring and should immediately name a new Deputy Mayor.

On September 14, through his own Facebook page, Mayor Shin addressed Governor Choo Mi-ae, stating, "I have no knowledge of Kim Jiyong, who has been nominated as the first chief of the Middle Investigation Office," and demanded, "First, resolve the vacancy in the Seongnam City Deputy Mayor position as quickly as possible."

The Deputy Mayor position of Seongnam has been vacant since the previous officeholder retired on June 30. If Gyeonggi Province delays the appointment until January next year, citing organizational restructuring and related procedures as reasons, the vacancy could last as long as seven months.

The Deputy Mayor is not simply a nominal 'No. 2 administrative figure' who just assists the Mayor. In the event of a disaster, the Deputy Mayor heads the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and oversees field response. The Deputy Mayor also serves ex officio as chairperson for 70 major committees in Seongnam, playing a key role in deliberating and coordinating core policies.

Mayor Shin stated, "When a disaster occurs, the Deputy Mayor must take charge as head of the Disaster Response Headquarters. If a problem arises due to the vacancy, who will be held accountable?" He emphasized, "A vacancy in the Deputy Mayor position is directly tied to the safety of 910,000 residents."

Currently, Seongnam City is simultaneously pursuing major issues, including the redevelopment of 98,000 households in phase 1 of Bundang New Town and the redevelopment of 10 neighborhoods in the old downtown area, as well as large-scale projects in transportation, housing, and welfare. Critics have pointed out that under the current system, in which the roles are temporarily covered by department and bureau chiefs, the city is struggling to meet the enormous administrative demands of a large metropolitan area.

Screenshot of Facebook homepage of Shin Sang-jin, mayor of Seongnam

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Mayor Shin asserted that organizational restructuring in Gyeonggi Province and the appointment of deputy heads in local governments are separate issues. He emphasized, "Organizational restructuring should proceed as planned, but the Deputy Mayor appointment must be made immediately," adding, "It does not make sense for a city of 910,000 to appoint its Deputy Mayor only in January next year."

He continued, "The safety and administration of a metropolis with 910,000 people should never be jeopardized for political calculations or administrative convenience," and urged, "This is not about denying the need for Gyeonggi Province, but about removing obstacles. Please make the appointment before public sentiment demanding such changes spreads further."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.