A Seoul National University graduate, civil service exam passer and former first vice mayor of Seoul, Ryu won his second term four years ago by roughly 10,000 votes — this time he crushed his opponent by more than 55,000, drawing comparisons to a future Seoul mayor in waiting.
Ryu Gyeong-gi, the Jungnang-gu district mayor widely regarded as a master administrator for his years as Seoul's first vice mayor, secured a third consecutive term in the June 3 local elections with 62.57 percent of the vote — a margin of more than 25 percentage points over his nearest rival. He swept all 16 neighborhoods in the district, confirming broad-based support across the entire area.
Among Democratic Party district mayors who won in this election, Ryu posted the highest vote share.
Ryu enjoys what residents describe as "idol-level" popularity in Jungnang-gu. The landslide had been widely anticipated: when he opened his campaign office last month, crowds of constituents packed the venue to overflowing.
After graduating from Seoul National University with a degree in political science and passing the civil service examination, Ryu built his career at the Seoul Metropolitan Government — serving as head of the administrative bureau, spokesperson and head of the planning and coordination office before rising to first vice mayor. The trajectory earned him a reputation as "the best vice mayor to come along in a hundred years."
A planning official at the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday afternoon that Ryu had once been his superior. "He was genuinely sharp, yet always composed — a truly outstanding executive," the official said.
When Jungnang-gu's district mayoral seat fell to conservative candidates in successive elections, Park Hong-keun — now minister of the Ministry of Planning and Budget and a four-term Assembly member for Jungnang-gu — grew alarmed and repeatedly appealed to then-Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon until Ryu agreed to run as the Democratic Party's candidate for the eighth term of civilian local government.
From the moment he took office, Ryu moved aggressively to address the district's weak educational infrastructure, launching initiatives such as a campaign to have children read 1,000 books before entering elementary school. The effort has made him a favorite among parents.
He has also gone out to clean the district's streets and alleyways alongside residents every week since his first week in office — a practice he has maintained to this day, earning him affection and trust from constituents.
His consistent push for rapid redevelopment and "Moa Town" neighborhood renewal projects under the eighth term of civilian local government has drawn further praise.
He is also recognized as a "filial district mayor" for the care he shows toward elderly residents.
Analysts point to five main reasons behind Ryu's commanding victory.
<style ref="s1">Eight years of tangible, everyday results</style>
Over the seventh and eighth terms of civilian local government, Jungnang-gu transformed into one of northeastern Seoul's leading development zones. Major projects moved from blueprint to reality — the GTX-B line, the Myeongmok light-rail line, the undergrounding of the East Seoul Expressway, the relocation of the Seoul Housing and Communities Corp. headquarters, and a wave of redevelopment and reconstruction activity — giving residents a palpable sense that "Jungnang is changing."
Throughout the campaign, Ryu stressed completing what he had started, telling voters it was "time to harvest the seeds we have sown." That message translated into a powerful argument for continuity.
<style ref="s2">Image as a Seoul city administration expert</style>
Ryu's résumé — spokesperson, head of the administrative bureau, head of the planning and coordination office and first vice mayor of Seoul — established him as the city's foremost administrative expert. More than 30 years in Seoul's civil service convinced residents they could trust him to get things done.
His deliberate framing of the district mayor's role not as a politician but as a "hands-on manager" reinforced that image of practical leadership.
<style ref="s3">Development expectations and a vision for the future</style>
In this election, Ryu put forward a six-point agenda: the Myeongmok Administrative Complex Town, ground-breaking on the Myeongmok light-rail line, the relocation of the Seoul Housing and Communities Corp., completion of the GTX-B line, a supply of 40,000 new housing units, and construction of an astronomy science museum and library.
Jungnang-gu has long been considered one of Seoul's most undervalued districts. Residents came to believe that "this time, real change is possible," and that conviction translated directly into votes.
<style ref="s4">Strong field administration</style>
Since taking office, Ryu has consistently practiced on-the-ground governance — visiting complaint sites in person and maintaining an open line of communication with residents.
Even during the campaign, he led with the message "I will run alongside residents" rather than sweeping political slogans. His first words after winning were: "I will work even harder with an even humbler attitude."
<style ref="s5">Democratic Party stronghold advantage</style>
Jungnang-gu has in recent elections been firmly categorized as Democratic Party territory. Combined with the incumbent premium, high name recognition and strong organizational support, the gap over the People Power Party candidate widened dramatically. Ryu ultimately swept every neighborhood in the district, cementing his place among Seoul's most prominent three-term district mayors.
Ryu's third-term victory is the product of administrative expertise, development results, a future vision and field-level governance working in concert. His ability to translate residents' hopes for Jungnang-gu's growth into concrete reality — drawing on the administrative capacity he built as a Seoul vice mayor — was the single greatest driver of his landslide win.
"Mayor Ryu is too talented to spend his whole career at the district level," one Jungnang-gu resident said. "I hope that after this four-year term he goes on to do even greater things for the district and for Seoul."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
