※ Imperial Japan’s exploitation of Korea’s resources and explosive population growth furthered the nation’s economic woes. Survival itself became the sole objective for many Korean people. During this time, the city continued to grow with no regulations or city planning.2424
※ The USA and the Korean government body governed Seoul together, although the administration was chaotic due to a lack of administrative experience.
First elected mayor Kim, Sang-don takes office.
Kim pledged to ① prevent unnecessary spending of the city budget; ② prevent civil servants from embezzling public funds; and ③ ensure swift processing of administrative work. Kim resigned after the May 16 Coup after struggling with trust issues regarding the affairs of the Seoul government.
The Act on Special Measures for the Administration of the Seoul Special Metropolitan Government was enacted in 1962 to raise Seoul’s legal status along with that of its civil servants, by separating it from the aforementioned local district laws that placed Seoul under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Home Affairs.
※ The enactment of the new law represented a major paradigm shift for Seoul’s administration