Seongnam Mayor demands Vice Mayor appointment and challenges youth income ordinance

Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin has entered a political standoff with Gyeonggi Province and the local city council. Shin criticized Gyeonggi Province Governor Chu Mi-ae for the prolonged vacancy of the Seongnam Vice Mayor position, which has remained unfilled since July 1. He emphasized that the vacancy hinders disaster management and administrative efficiency in the city.

Simultaneously, Mayor Shin exercised his right to request a reconsideration of the ‘Youth Basic Income Ordinance’ recently passed by the Seongnam City Council. The ordinance proposed providing 1 million won in local currency annually to 24-year-olds. Shin argued that resources should instead be focused on broader support for youth aged 19 to 39, including housing, jobs, and education, citing a projected 6 billion won annual fiscal burden as provincial subsidies decrease.

The Democratic Party of Korea in the Seongnam City Council has responded sharply, accusing the Mayor of abandoning political cooperation. The party has vowed to strictly scrutinize the administration's budget and performance in response to the Mayor's actions.