Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon delivers his inaugural speech at a teleconference studio at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in downtown Seoul on April 22 as he took office. (Photo: SMG)

New Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon envisaged Seoul’s revival by realizing the vision “a youthful Seoul” based on justice and shared growth.

In his inaugural speech, Oh declared, “I’m tying thongs of shoes of Seoul with a youthful spirit, It is a first step toward Seoul’s renaissance so that it is not exhausted and falling over.” Mayor Oh made five promises.

First, he plans to draw up a firm vision to level up Seoul’s urban competitiveness on top of making Seoul youthful. The Seoul Vision 2030 Committee will be launched as soon as May.

As for the real estate issue, one of the most urgent problems facing the people, Mayor Oh emphasized killing catching two birds with one stone: a swift housing supply and stabilizing real estate prices.

“Urban planning restrictions, which have been in place according to customs, will be reviewed from scratch, and steps will be also to stem real estate speculation,” he said.

Oh said he plans to ameliorate quarantine guidelines against the COVID-19 pandemic whose uniform enforcement has dealt a severe blow to self-employed and small businesses.

He also promised to establish a separate task force to solve several issues involving one-person families. Mayor Oh launched a journey in which he said low-income people live a better life in a world without fouls and privileges.

Seoul Mayor Oh conducted a reshuffle of high-ranking officeholders, including vice mayor for political affairs, and first and second vice mayor for administrative affairs, as he began his term following his sweeping victory in the Seoul mayoral by-election on April 7.

Mayor Oh tapped Kim Do-shik, a confidant of Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo of People’s Party, as vice mayor for political affairs, as he made good on his promise of jointly administrating the Seoul Metropolitan Government in selecting a single opposition party candidate with Chairman Ahn.

Oh’s victory came as a result of a precarious and tumultuous process. He overcame a “death match” with Ahn, a big shot politician from the People’s Party, after beating Nah Kyung-won in an in-house party competition.

Oh’s process of selecting a sole opposition candidate with Ahn not only played a part in the victory of Oh and the opposition PPP, but it also is expected to influence the presidential election slated for next Spring.

Instead, Mayor Oh appointed officials in other raking office positions from SMG’s hierarchy to stress SMG’s stability.

Cho In-dong, head of SMG’s Planning and Coordination Office, was nominated to be first mayor for administrative affairs while Ryu Hoon, chief of SMG’s Urban Regeneration Office, was tapped as second mayor for administrative affairs. Chung Sang-hoon, head of SMG’s Metropolitan Growth Team, was appointed to be chief of staff for Seoul mayor.

First vice mayor nominee Cho held prominent positions at SMG such as director-general in policy planning, director-general in charge of job creation and labor policies, chief of the Economic Promotion Division, and head of the Economic Policy Office.

Second vice mayor nominee Ryu held positions at SMG such as director-general in charge of housing supply, director general of the Urban Planning Bureau, director-general in charge of housing & architecture and head of the Housing & Architecture Office.

First and second 2nd vice mayor nominees require the nod from President Moon Jae-in at the request of Seoul Mayor. Chief of staff nominee served as a secretary for former Seoul mayor Oh between 2008 and 2009. He also worked as a presidential administrative secretary between 2010 and 2012.

 
Seoul Mayor Oh took office as the 38th mayor of the Seoul Metropolitan Government at an inauguration ceremony at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on April 22.

He delivered his inaugural speech in which he stressed “a juvenescent Seoul” for revival of the capital through realization of values of justice and shared growth.