Incheon mayor's transition committee chairman 'considering the status of agency heads appointed by former mayor Yoo Jeong-bok'

The transition committee chairman for the incoming Incheon mayor is grappling with the future of agency directors appointed by the previous administration. Meng Seong-gyu, chairman of the Incheon Mayor's Office Transition Committee, stated that decisions are being carefully considered regarding the tenure of these appointees.

Ordinarily, Meng explained, appointees should cooperate with the new administration upon its inauguration. However, he noted that Incheon's specific ordinance related to the terms of heads of affiliated organizations includes a provision allowing individuals appointed before the ordinance's effective date to continue their service. This differs from Busan's approach, where such a clause was omitted, allowing for a cleaner transition.

Incheon enacted an ordinance in September of the previous year to synchronize the terms of agency directors with the mayor's term. This ordinance applies to six organizations, including the Incheon Credit Guarantee Foundation, Incheon Technopark, and the Incheon Foundation for Arts and Culture, where the mayor holds the appointment authority and terms are not otherwise specified by law or separate ordinances.

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Normally, they should cooperate when a new administration is launched.

Despite the ordinance's intent, the transitional clause means that the current five agency directors, whose remaining terms extend to as late as 2028, will serve out their full periods regardless of the new administration's start date. Meng indicated that the committee would deliberate on this matter, stating, "We will gather opinions on this part. We have not yet discussed how it will be resolved." He added, "If we change the ordinance, it would be right to do it like Busan."

Separately, Meng addressed the review of key projects from the previous administration's term, confirming that all initiatives are subject to discussion, including former Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok's bid to host Formula One (F1) racing.

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If we change the ordinance, it would be right to do it like Busan.