Head of Seongdong district steps down to join Seoul mayoral race

▲ Chong Won-o, head of the Seongdong district, holds a farewell ceremony at the district's office on March 4, 2026, as he steps down from the post to run for Seoul mayor in the June 3 local elections. (Yonhap)

district chief-local elections

Head of Seongdong district steps down to join Seoul mayoral race

SEOUL, March 4 (Yonhap) -- The head of the Seongdong district, Chong Won-o, stepped down from his post Wednesday to join the race for Seoul mayor in the June 3 local elections.

Chong, who has officially declared his bid for Seoul mayor, held a retirement ceremony at the Seongdong District Office earlier in the day. He plans to register as a preliminary candidate on Thursday.

Chong will be competing with four other contenders in the ruling Democratic Party's primary for Seoul mayor: three-term lawmakers Rep. Park Ju-min and Jeon Hyeon-hui, two-term lawmaker Kim Young-bae and Kim Hyoung-nam, former secretary general of the Center for Military Human Rights Korea.

Under the country's election law, public officials must step down from their positions by March 5, or 90 days prior to the vote, to run for a seat in the upcoming election.

Cho, who served 12 years as the district's chief, drew attention late last year when President Lee Jae Myung shared on social media platform X a news report on a survey that showed 93 percent were satisfied with Chong's performance.

Lee praised Chong in the post, saying he "must be doing a great job," in a move widely seen as a show of support from the president.

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