Lee secured 146,737 votes (52.05%), winning by a margin of 16,693 votes; Gangdong-gu seen as cementing its status among Seoul's 'Gangnam 4' districts
People Power Party candidate Lee Su-hee won reelection as Gangdong-gu district mayor in the June 3 local elections.
Gangdong-gu is one of the most fiercely contested battlegrounds in southeastern Seoul, where conservative and progressive voters have long been evenly matched, making every election a close fight.
Lee secured 146,737 votes, or 52.05 percent of the total, defeating her opponent by a margin of 16,693 votes.
Her reelection in such a competitive district is difficult to explain by party momentum alone.
Analysts say the result has also cemented Gangdong-gu's standing as a full member of Seoul's so-called "Gangnam 4" districts — the cluster of affluent southeastern boroughs anchored by Gangnam.
The more persuasive explanation, observers say, is a combination of her four-year administrative record and residents' expectations for the district's continued transformation.
Above all, Lee built a reputation as a hands-on district mayor who gets things done.
During her first term, she focused on normalizing reconstruction and redevelopment projects, expanding the transport network, developing Godeok Biz Valley and broadening everyday infrastructure.
Gangdong-gu is now one of the most rapidly changing districts in Seoul.
Move-ins at Olympicpark Foreon — the country's largest reconstruction complex, with more than 10,200 units — are now in full swing, and development of the Godeok Gangil district is advancing, swiftly reshaping the area's demographics and urban landscape.
Against that backdrop, residents appear to have chosen continuity over change, opting to keep the same district mayor rather than risk disrupting projects already underway.
It was, in the language of electoral politics, a vote for stability.
Reconstruction and redevelopment also played a significant role in the outcome.
Gangdong-gu has emerged as the center of eastern Seoul's development boom, buoyed by the successful reconstruction of the Dunchon Jugong complex — now Olympicpark Foreon.
With reconstruction projects in Myeongil, Godeok and Sangil-dong moving forward in quick succession, residents' attention has naturally converged on development and transport issues.
Lee made the rapid advancement of reconstruction and redevelopment, the GTX-D line, subway extensions and improved train frequency her central campaign pledges.
Her emphasis on resolving the transport problems that Gangdong-gu residents feel most acutely is seen as having swayed middle-class voters and new residents moving into the area's new towns.
The coattail effect from the Seoul mayoral race was also a factor. Seoul City Hall and the district offices are closely intertwined administratively.
Major projects — subway extensions, regional transport networks, Han River-side development and zoning changes — are in effect impossible to advance without the cooperation of the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
With Oh Se-hoon winning reelection as Seoul mayor, many Gangdong-gu voters appear to have reasoned that aligning the district with City Hall would accelerate the projects they care about most.
Lee's own political trajectory has also drawn attention.
A former attorney, she carries the distinction of being Gangdong-gu's first female district mayor.
Her reputation for the meticulous attention to detail and drive that lawyers are known for — applied to the district's administrative agenda — is credited with earning residents' trust.
Her integrity and clean conduct are seen as decisive factors in winning the confidence and support of both Gangdong-gu residents and district office staff.
Ultimately, the election result reflected a verdict on performance more than on party affiliation.
Voters had witnessed Gangdong-gu's transformation firsthand over the past four years and chose to give Lee one more term to see it through to completion.
Reelection, however, brings with it a heavier set of responsibilities.
A long list of major challenges awaits: easing the traffic congestion that has come with the Olympicpark Foreon move-ins, activating Godeok Biz Valley, managing ongoing reconstruction projects and pushing forward the GTX-D line.
The support residents showed at the ballot box was less a celebration than a directive — finish what you promised.
The weight of that mandate, Lee will find, far exceeds the joy of winning.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
