# Mayor of Seoul

The mayor of Seoul (Korean: 서울특별시장) is the chief executive of 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 23 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 Hansong-bu P'anyun (Lord Mayor of Seoul).

## 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. Killough | 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 (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party |
| | Kim Hyongmin [ko] 김형민 (1907–1998) | September 28, 1946 | December 15, 1948 | 2 years, 79 days | |
| | Yun Posun 윤보선 (1897–1990) | December 15, 1948 | June 6, 1949 | 174 days | |
| | Lee Ki-poong 이기붕 (1896–1960) | June 6, 1949 | May 8, 1951 | 1 year, 337 days | |
| | Kim Tai Sun [ko] 김태선 (1903–1977) | June 27, 1951 | July 6, 1956 | 5 years, 60 days | |
| | Goh Chaebong 고재봉 | July 6, 1956 | December 14, 1957 | 1 year, 162 days | |
| | Ho Chong 허정 (1896–1988) | December 14, 1957 | June 12, 1959 | 1 year, 181 days | Democratic |
| | Yim Heung Soon [ko] 임흥순 (1895–1971) | June 12, 1959 | April 30, 1960 | 324 days | Liberal |
| | Chang Ki Young [ko] 장기영 (1903–1981) | May 2, 1960 | June 30, 1960 | 60 days | Liberal |
| | Kim Sangdon [ko] 김상돈 (1901–1986) | December 30, 1960 | May 16, 1961 | 138 days | Democratic |
| | Yoon Taeil [ko] 윤태일 (1918–1982) | May 21, 1961 | December 16, 1963 | 2 years, 210 days | Military |
| | Yun Chi-young 윤치영 (1898–1996) | December 17, 1963 | March 30, 1966 | 2 years, 165 days | Democratic Republican |
| | Kim Hyun-ok [ko] 김현옥 (1926–1997) | March 31, 1966 | April 16, 1970 | 4 years, 17 days | Democratic Republican |
| | Yang Taek Shik [ko] 양택식 (1924–2012) | April 16, 1970 | September 2, 1974 | 4 years, 140 days | Democratic Republican |
| | Koo Cha Chun [ko] 구자춘 (1932–1996) | September 2, 1974 | December 22, 1978 | 4 years, 112 days | Democratic Republican |
| | Chong Sangchon [ko] 정상천 (1931–2015) | December 22, 1978 | September 2, 1980 | 1 year, 256 days | Democratic Republican |
| | Park Young Su [ko] 박영수 (1928–2003) | September 2, 1980 | April 28, 1982 | 1 year, 239 days | Democratic Justice |
| | Kim Sung-bae [ko] 김성배 | April 28, 1982 | October 15, 1983 | 1 year, 171 days | Democratic Justice |
| | Yeom Bo-hyeon [ko] 염보현 (1932–2021) | October 15, 1983 | December 30, 1987 | 4 years, 77 days | Democratic Justice |
| | Kim Yong Nae [ko] 김용래 (1934–2009) | December 30, 1987 | December 5, 1988 | 342 days | Democratic Justice |
| | Goh Kun 고건 (born 1938) | December 5, 1988 | December 27, 1990 | 2 years, 23 days | Democratic Justice |
| | Park Seh-jik 박세직 (1933–2009) | December 27, 1990 | February 18, 1991 | 54 days | Democratic Liberal |
| | Lee Haewon [ko] 이해원 (1930–2014) | February 19, 1991 | June 26, 1992 | 1 year, 129 days | Democratic Liberal |
| | Lee Sang-bae [ko] 이상배 (born 1939) | June 26, 1992 | February 26, 1993 | 246 days | Democratic Liberal |
| | Kim Sang chul [ko] 김상철 (1947–2012) | February 26, 1993 | March 4, 1993 | 7 days | Democratic Liberal |
| | Lee Won Jong [ko] 이원종 (born 1942) | March 8, 1993 | October 21, 1994 | 1 year, 228 days | Democratic Liberal |
| | Woo Myoung Kyu [ko] 우명규 (born 1936) | October 22, 1994 | November 3, 1994 | 13 days | Democratic Liberal |
| | Choi Byung-ryeol 최병렬 (1938–2022) | November 3, 1994 | June 30, 1995 | 240 days | Democratic Liberal |

### Directly elected mayors

Since 1995, under provisions of the revised Local Government Act, the mayor of Seoul is elected by direct election.
| Term | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Political party | Elected |
| Term | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party | Political party | Elected |
| 1st | | Cho Soon 조순 趙淳 (1928–2022) | July 1, 1995 | September 9, 1997 | 2 years, 71 days | | Democratic | 1995 |
| 1st | | Kang Deok-ki 강덕기 姜德基 (born 1936) Acting | September 10, 1997 | June 30, 1998 | 294 days | | Independent | — |
| 2nd | | Goh Kun 고건 高建 (born 1938) | July 1, 1998 | June 30, 2002 | 4 years, 0 days | | National Congress → Millennium Democratic | 1998 |
| 3rd | | Lee Myung-bak 이명박 李明博 (born 1941) | July 1, 2002 | June 30, 2006 | 4 years, 0 days | | Grand National | 2002 |
| 4th | | Oh Se-hoon 오세훈 吳世勳 (born 1961) | July 1, 2006 | August 26, 2011 | 5 years, 57 days | | Grand National | 2006 |
| 5th | | Oh Se-hoon 오세훈 吳世勳 (born 1961) | July 1, 2006 | August 26, 2011 | 5 years, 57 days | | Grand National | 2010 |
| 5th | | Kwon Young-kyu [ko] 권영규 權寧奎 (born 1955) Acting | August 27, 2011 | October 26, 2011 | 61 days | | Independent | — |
| 5th | | Park Won-soon 박원순 朴元淳 (1955–2020) | October 27, 2011 | July 9, 2020 | 8 years, 257 days | | Independent → Democratic United → Democratic ('11) → NPAD → Democratic ('14) | 2011 (by-el.) |
| 6th | | Park Won-soon 박원순 朴元淳 (1955–2020) | October 27, 2011 | July 9, 2020 | 8 years, 257 days | | Independent → Democratic United → Democratic ('11) → NPAD → Democratic ('14) | 2014 |
| 7th | | Park Won-soon 박원순 朴元淳 (1955–2020) | October 27, 2011 | July 9, 2020 | 8 years, 257 days | | Independent → Democratic United → Democratic ('11) → NPAD → Democratic ('14) | 2018 |
| 7th | | Seo Jung-hyup 서정협 徐正協 (born 1965) Acting | July 10, 2020 | April 7, 2021 | 273 days | | Independent | — |
| 7th | | Oh Se-hoon 오세훈 吳世勳 (born 1961) | April 8, 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 251 days | | People Power | 2021 (by-el.) |
| 8th | | Oh Se-hoon 오세훈 吳世勳 (born 1961) | April 8, 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 251 days | | People Power | 2022 |

## Elections
### 1995

1995 Seoul mayoral election :
| Party | Party | # | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | 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 | Total | Total | Total | 4,843,370 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 66.18% | 66.18% | 66.18% |

### 1998

1998 Seoul mayoral election :
| Party | Party | # | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Percentage |
| | National Congress | 2 | Goh Kun | 1,838,348 | 53.46% | |
| | Grand National | 1 | Choi Byung-ryul | 1,512,854 | 43.99% | |
| | Independent | 3 | Lee Byung-ho | 87,495 | 2.54% | |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 3,438,697 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 47.13% | 47.13% | 47.13% |

### 2002

2002 Seoul mayoral election :
| Party | Party | # | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | 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 | Total | Total | Total | 3,479,105 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 45.80% | 45.80% | 45.80% |

### 2006

2006 Seoul mayoral election :
| Party | Party | # | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | 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 | Total | Total | Total | 3,946,826 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 49.83% | 49.83% | 49.83% |

### 2010

2010 Seoul mayoral election :
| Party | Party | # | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | 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 | Total | Total | Total | 4,397,672 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 53.90% | 53.90% | 53.90% |

### 2011 (by-election)

2011 Seoul mayoral by-election :
| Party | Party | # | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | 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 | Total | Total | Total | 4,041,764 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 48.56% | 48.56% | 48.56% |

### 2014

2014 Seoul mayoral election :
| Party | Party | # | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | 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 | Total | Total | Total | 4,903,281 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 58.63% | 58.63% | 58.63% |

### 2018

2018 Seoul mayoral election :
| Party | Party | # | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | 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 | Total | Total | Total | 4,961,872 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 59.89% | 59.89% | 59.89% |

### 2021 (by-election)

2021 Seoul mayoral by-election :
| Party | Party | # | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | 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 | Total | Total | Total | 4,867,442 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 58.19% | 58.19% | 58.19% |

### 2022

2022 Seoul mayoral election :
| Party | Party | # | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | 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 | Total | Total | Total | 4,416,919 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 53.17% | 53.17% | 53.17% |