The mayor of Seoul () is the chief executive of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Seoul being the capital and largest city of South Korea.
The position is historically one of the most powerful in the country, charged with managing an annual budget of 51 trillion won. Many Seoul mayors have gone on to hold higher office. Yun Bo-seon and Lee Myung-bak both went on to become President of the Republic of Korea.
The mayor of Seoul, although being the head of a local autonomous region in South Korea and not directly related to the central executive branch, has been allowed to attend State Council meetings considering the special status of Seoul as a Special City and its mayor as the only cabinet-level mayor in Korea.
The incumbent mayor is Oh Se-hoon, who assumed office for the third time on 8 April 2021 after a by-election. He won 57.5 percent of the vote. Oh previously served as mayor between 2006 and 2011, having been elected in 2006 and 2010.
History The modern office of mayor succeeds the historic offices of Hanseong-bu P'anyun (Lord Mayor of Hanseong).
List of mayors Mayors of Gyeongseong Right after independence from Japan, Seoul was temporarily still called Gyeongseong (the Korean reading for Japanese name Keijo) and was a part of Gyeonggi Province before being separated from the province and being designated as a Special City.
Mayor Took office Left office Kim Jangyeong August 15, 1945 September 11, 1945 James S. KilloughAppointed as Military Mayor by the United States Army Military Government in Korea. September 12, 1945 October 24, 1945 Lee Beomsung October 25, 1945 May 9, 1946 Kim Hyongmin May 10, 1946 September 27, 1946
Appointed mayors of Seoul Portrait Name Term of office With the exception of Kim Sangdon in 1960, the position was an appointed post until 1995. Since then, mayors are elected by popular vote. Some names have been adapted in accordance with Wikipedia conventions. Political party Took office Left office Time in office Officially the first mayor of Seoul, he was the last mayor of Gyeongseong. September 28, 1946 December 15, 1948 Yun Posun December 15, 1948 June 6, 1949 Lee Ki-poong June 6, 1949 May 8, 1951 June 27, 1951 July 6, 1956 Goh Chaebong July 6, 1956 December 14, 1957 Ho Chong December 14, 1957 June 12, 1959 Democratic June 12, 1959 April 30, 1960 Liberal May 2, 1960 June 30, 1960 Liberal Elected, under the Second Republic December 30, 1960 May 16, 1961 Democratic May 21, 1961 December 16, 1963 Military Yun Chi-young December 17, 1963 March 30, 1966 Democratic Republican March 31, 1966 April 16, 1970 Democratic Republican April 16, 1970 September 2, 1974 Democratic Republican September 2, 1974 December 22, 1978 Democratic Republican December 22, 1978 September 2, 1980 Democratic Republican September 2, 1980 April 28, 1982 Democratic Justice April 28, 1982 October 15, 1983 Democratic Justice October 15, 1983 December 30, 1987 Democratic Justice December 30, 1987 December 5, 1988 Democratic Justice Goh Kun December 5, 1988 December 27, 1990 Democratic Justice Park Seh-jik December 27, 1990 February 18, 1991 Democratic Liberal February 19, 1991 June 26, 1992 Democratic Liberal June 26, 1992 February 26, 1993 Democratic Liberal February 26, 1993 March 4, 1993 Democratic Liberal March 8, 1993 October 21, 1994 Democratic Liberal October 22, 1994 November 3, 1994 Democratic Liberal Choi Byung-ryeol November 3, 1994 June 30, 1995 Democratic Liberal
Directly elected mayors Since 1995, under provisions of the revised Local Government Act, the mayor of Seoul is elected by direct election.
Political parties Status
Term Portrait Name Term of office Political party Elected Took office Left office Time in office 1st Cho Soon July 1, 1995 September 9, 1997 Democratic 1995 Kang Deok-ki September 10, 1997 June 30, 1998 Independent — 2nd Goh Kun July 1, 1998 June 30, 2002 National Congress →Millennium Democratic 1998 3rd Lee Myung-bak July 1, 2002 June 30, 2006 Grand National 2002 4th Oh Se-hoon July 1, 2006 August 26, 2011 Grand National 2006 5th 2010 August 27, 2011 October 26, 2011 Independent — Park Won-soon October 27, 2011 July 9, 2020Died in office. Independent →Democratic United →Democratic ('11) →NPAD →Democratic ('14) 2011 6th 2014 7th 2018 Seo Jung-hyup July 10, 2020 April 7, 2021 Independent — Oh Se-hoon April 8, 2021 Incumbent People Power 2021 8th 20229th2026
Chairman of the Seoul Municipal People's Committee In 1950, North Korean forces under Kim Il-sung launched Operation Pokpung, placing them in control of Seoul.Korean War Campaigns They imposed a form of local government called the "People's Committee", commonly seen in Communist countries.City (Municipal) and County Party CommitteesThe People's Committees It effectively displaced the functions of the Metropolitan Government for a short period before United Nations forces retake Seoul in late September 1950. The Sino-North Korean Joint Command would launch the Third Phase Offensive, moving into Seoul on 4 January 1951, but was forced to abandon the city after less than 3 months.
Portrait Name Term of office Political party Took office Left office Time in office Yi Sung-yopLater also designated mayor.1st term June 28, 1950 September 27, 1950 Workers Position vacant (territory of South Korea) Yi Sung-yop2nd term January 4, 1951 March 14, 1951 Workers Position vacant (territory of South Korea)
Elections 1995 1995 Seoul mayoral election Party # Candidate Votes Percentage Democratic 2 Cho Soon 2,051,441 42.35% Independent 7 Park Chan-jong 1,623,356 33.51% Democratic Liberal 1 Chung Won-shik 1,001,446 20.67% Independent 9 Hwang San-sung 97,709 2.01% People First 3 Park Hong-rae 25,054 0.51% Independent 6 Kim Ok-sun 17,728 0.36% Korea 4 Goh Soon-bok 10,488 0.21% Independent 5 Kim Myung-ho 9,992 0.20% Independent 8 Chung Ki-yong 6,156 0.12% Total 4,843,370 100.00% Voter turnout66.18%
1998 1998 Seoul mayoral election Party # Candidate Votes Percentage National Congress 2 Goh Kun 1,838,348 53.46% Grand National 1 Choi Byung-ryeol 1,512,854 43.99% Independent 3 Lee Byung-ho 87,495 2.54% Total 3,438,697 100.00% Voter turnout47.13%
2002 2002 Seoul mayoral election Party # Candidate Votes Percentage Grand National 1 Lee Myung-bak 1,819,057 52.28% Millennium Democratic 2 Kim Min-seok 1,496,754 43.02% Democratic Labor 4 Lee Moon-ok 87,965 2.52% Independent 6 Lee Kyung-hee 34,313 0.98% Green Peace 3 Lim Sam-jin 28,034 0.80% Socialist 5 Won Yong-soo 12,982 0.37% Total 3,479,105 100.00% Voter turnout45.80%
2006 2006 Seoul mayoral election Party # Candidate Votes Percentage Grand National 2 Oh Se-hoon 2,409,760 61.05% Uri 1 Kang Kum-sil 1,077,890 27.31% Democratic 3 Park Joo-sun 304,565 7.71% Democratic Labor 4 Kim Jong-chul 117,421 2.97% People First 5 Lim Woong-kyun 14,111 0.35% Independent 8 Baek Seung-won 13,808 0.34% Citizens 6 Lee Gwi-sun 4,790 0.12% Hanmijun 5 Lee Tae-hee 4,481 0.11% Total 3,946,826 100.00% Voter turnout49.83%
2010 2010 Seoul mayoral election Party # Candidate Votes Percentage Grand National 1 Oh Se-hoon 2,086,127 47.43% Democratic 2 Han Myeong-sook 2,059,715 46.83% New Progressive 4 Roh Hoe-chan 143,459 3.26% Liberty Forward 3 Ji Sang-wook 90,032 2.04% Future Union 5 Seok Jong-hyun 18,339 0.41% Total 4,397,672 100.00% Voter turnout53.90%
2011 (by-election) 2011 Seoul mayoral by-election Party # Candidate Votes Percentage Independent 10 Park Won-soon 2,158,476 53.41% Grand National 1 Na Kyung-won 1,867,880 46.21% Independent 9 Bae Il-do 15,408 0.38% Total 4,041,764 100.00% Voter turnout48.56%
2014 2014 Seoul mayoral election Party # Candidate Votes Percentage NPAD 2 Park Won-soon 2,752,171 56.12% Saenuri 1 Chung Mong-joon 2,109,869 43.02% Unified Progressive 3 Chung Tae-heung 23,638 0.48% New Politics 5 Hong Jung-shik 17,603 0.35% Total 4,903,281 100.00% Voter turnout58.63%
2018 2018 Seoul mayoral election Party # Candidate Votes Percentage Democratic 1 Park Won-soon 2,619,497 52.79% Liberty Korea 2 Kim Moon-soo 1,158,487 23.34% Bareunmirae 3 Ahn Cheol-soo 970,374 19.55% Green 8 Sin Jie-ye 82,874 1.67% Justice 5 Kim Jong-min 81,664 1.64% Minjung 6 Kim Jin-sook 22,134 0.44% Our Future 9 Woo In-cheol 11,599 0.23% Korean Patriots' 7 Ihn Ji-yeon 11,222 0.22% Chinbak Yeondae 10 Choi Tae-hyeon 4,021 0.08% Total 4,961,872 100.00% Voter turnout59.89%
2021 (by-election) 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election Party # Candidate Votes Percentage People Power 2 Oh Se-hoon 2,798,788 57.50% Democratic 1 Park Young-sun 1,907,336 39.18% National Revolutionary 7 Huh Kyung-young 52,107 1.07% Women's 11 Kim Jin-ah 33,421 0.68% Basic Income 6 Shin Ji-hye 23,628 0.48% Independent 15 Shin Ji-ye 18,039 0.37% Progressive 12 Song Myeong-suk 12,272 0.25% Minsaeng 9 Lee Su-bong 11,196 0.23% Mirae 8 Oh Tae-yang 6,483 0.13% Independent 13 Chung Dong-hui 1,874 0.03% Independent 14 Lee Do-yeop 1,664 0.03% New United Liberal Democrats 10 Bae Yeong-gyu 634 0.01% Total 4,867,442 100.00% Voter turnout58.19%
2022 2022 Seoul mayoral election Party # Candidate Votes Percentage People Power 2 Oh Se-hoon 2,608,277 59.05% Democratic 1 Song Young-gil 1,733,183 39.23% Justice 3 Kwon Soo-joung 53,840 1.21% Basic Income 4 Shin ji-hye 12,619 0.28% Independent 5 Kim Gwang-jong 9,000 0.20% Total 4,416,919 100.00% Voter turnout53.17%
2026
See also Government of South Korea Politics of South Korea
Notes
References
External links Mayor's Office 역대서울시장 Former Mayors of Seoul (In Korean)