The high-level local governments of South Korea consist of one Special City, six Metropolitan Cities, one Special Self-Governing City, eight Provinces, and two Special Self-Governing Province, totalling up to 17 governing councils. The head of the city is referred as the mayor and that of the province as the governor. These Local government heads are elected by direct popular vote for a four-year term. The head of the local government can also be re-elected for up to three terms.[1]
Currently, the People Power Party holds 12 local governments out of 17, comprising seven mayors and five governors. The other 5 local governments are headed by the Democratic Party of Korea, comprising one mayor and four governors.[2][3]
Colour key for parties |
---|
City/Province (Past) |
Name | Portrait | Took office (tenure length) |
Position | Party | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
English | Hangul | |||||||
Special City | ||||||||
Seoul (List) |
Oh Se-hoon | 오세훈 | 8 April 2021 (3 years, 132 days) |
Mayor | People Power | [4] | ||
Metropolitan Cities | ||||||||
Busan (List) |
Park Heong-joon | 박형준 | 8 April 2021 (3 years, 132 days) |
Mayor | People Power | [5] | ||
Daegu (List) |
Hong Joon-pyo | 홍준표 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
People Power | [6] | |||
Incheon (List) |
Yoo Jeong-bok | 유정복 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
People Power | ||||
Gwangju (List) |
Kang Gi-jung | 강기정 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
Democratic | [7] | |||
Daejeon (List) |
Lee Jang-woo | 이장우 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
People Power | ||||
Ulsan (List) |
Kim Doo-gyeom | 김두겸 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
People Power | ||||
Special Self-Governing City | ||||||||
Sejong (List) |
Choi Min-ho | 최민호 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
Mayor | People Power | |||
Provinces | ||||||||
Gyeonggi (List) |
Kim Dong-yeon | 김동연 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
Governor | Democratic | [8] | ||
North Chungcheong (List) |
Kim Young-hwan | 김영환 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
People Power | ||||
South Chungcheong (List) |
Kim Tae-heum | 김태흠 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
People Power | ||||
North Jeolla (List) |
Kim Gwan-young | 김관영 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
Democratic | ||||
South Jeolla (List) |
Kim Yung-rok | 김영록 | 1 July 2018 (6 years, 48 days) |
Democratic | ||||
North Gyeongsang (List) |
Lee Cheol-woo | 이철우 | 1 July 2018 (6 years, 48 days) |
People Power | ||||
South Gyeongsang (List) |
Park Wan-su | 박완수 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
People Power | ||||
Special Self-Governing Province | ||||||||
Jeju (List) |
Oh Young-hun | 오영훈 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
Governor | Democratic | [9] | ||
Gangwon (List) |
Kim Jin-tae | 김진태 | 1 July 2022 (2 years, 48 days) |
People Power |