Incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has registered as a preliminary candidate for the June 3 mayoral by-election, city officials confirmed on the 27th.
With Oh’s registration, Vice Mayor for Administration 2 Kim Sung-bo steps in as acting mayor through June 3. Election rules require the deputy mayor to assume acting duties upon a candidate’s preliminary filing, allowing the candidate chief to focus on the campaign without serving as acting head.
Succession Lineup
Seoul prioritizes Administration 2 Vice Mayor Kim over Administration 1 Vice Mayor Jeong Sang-hoon for this role. Oh plans to file his official candidacy on June 4, ahead of his term ending June 30.
Vice Mayor for Political Affairs Kim Byung-min highlighted the smooth handover to support Oh’s campaign efforts.
New Vice Mayor Appointment
City leaders named Park Chan-gu, 56, as the incoming Vice Mayor for Political Affairs. Park, previously Seoul’s Political Affairs Special Aide, manages coordination with the National Assembly, city council, online channels, media, and local businesses. A career civil servant in urban planning, Park earned his urban engineering degree from Hanyang University Graduate School after corporate experience.
Mayor’s Statement
Oh Se-hoon emphasized, “Public servants must uphold proper order without anxiety during the acting mayor’s tenure and operate in a seamless work environment.”
