Appointed officials and elected officials in South Korean municipalities

A mixed-methods approach was utilized to explore the roles of Korean vice-mayors, and their relationships with mayors in local governance. A survey of vice-mayors in Korean municipalities was conducted, as well as interviews with four mayors and six vice-mayors. The findings are as follows: Firstly, Korean vice-mayors are overwhelmingly male with an average age in the middle 50s. Most Korean vice-mayors have college degrees in political science/public administration. Vice-mayors are usually recruited from the higher governments to which they will return after serving as vice-mayors for relatively short terms, such as one to two years. The majority of Korean vice-mayors work with mayors that are newly-elected and have political backgrounds. Secondly, in Korean municipalities, there is no clear subordinated relationship between mayors and vice-mayors. Even though mayors have the authority to appoint vice-mayors, the vice-mayors are not fully controlled clerks of the mayors. A majority of the vice-mayors possess influence that approximates that of the mayor although less than a majority of the vice-mayors are much less influential than the mayor and less influential in policy making. Thirdly, in Korean municipalities, mayors and vice-mayors do not occupy clearly separated spheres in terms of policy and administration. Rather, mayors and vice-mayors have overlapping roles and operate in each other's spheres. Mayors are highly engaged in administration as well as in policy formulation. In turn, vice-mayors are actively involved in policy-making process while they are addressing administrative details. Thus, there is no clear demarcation between "policy" and administration in the role divisions between two sets of officials. However, there is clear separation of "politics" and administration due to the differentiated norms between mayors and vice-mayors. Korean vice-mayors reject partisanship and "particularism," and they attempt to stay out of the political arena. Finally, in Korean municipalities, interdependent relationships between mayors and vice-mayors are common. Mayors and vice-mayors maintain a positive and productive partnership with mutual accommodation and mutual respect. Korean mayors' active leadership in policy matters encourages the Korean vice-mayors to perform actively their roles in policy making, as well as in administration. Vice-mayors generally take the role of anonymous leaders giving all credit to mayors. When vice-mayors do not want to be invisible leaders and do not respect the democratic legitimacy of mayors, the positive partnership between mayors and vice-mayors will not be maintained. In turn, when mayors do not respect vice-mayors' professional expertise, and particularism overwhelms the professionalism of administration, the productive partnership will not be sustainable either.;Key words: Korean municipalities, Korean mayors, Korean vice-mayors. Roles, Relationship...