Woo Sang-ho "Winning just by attacking real estate policy and Park Won-soon? Such childish talk"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] "The opposition party seems to think that they can win just by attacking real estate policies and Park Won-soon (former Seoul) mayor. That is childish talk."

Woo Sang-ho, a member of the Democratic Party running in the April 7 Seoul mayoral by-election, said this on the afternoon of the 21st through his Facebook, stating, "Looking at the recent actions of the opposition party and its candidates, I want to offer some advice even if it becomes a controversial issue."

Woo Sang-ho, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for the Seoul mayoral primary, is announcing the 'Balanced Development between Gangnam and Gangbuk' policy at the National Assembly on the 21st. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

Woo said, "The actions of the opposition candidates and the opposition party can be summarized in two ways," pointing out, "They only attack Moon Jae-in's real estate policy and Park Won-soon."

He continued, "They want to make this election a contentious issue, but Seoul citizens will judge who will properly take care of our lives going forward," emphasizing, "While the opposition is tied to the past and political strife, I will differentiate myself by presenting a vision."

Woo criticized, "If a candidate only insults Moon Jae-in and Park Won-soon and says they will become Seoul mayor, Seoul citizens will not choose them," adding, "I cannot help but point out the behavior of someone unprepared wanting to become Seoul mayor with old-fashioned political ideas."

He then targeted the opposition Seoul mayoral candidates, saying, "I want to know what Ahn Cheol-soo, Oh Se-hoon, and Na Kyung-won have regarding the environment, labor, and balanced development between Gangnam and Gangbuk for Seoul."

On the same day, Woo pledged to put all sections of Seoul Subway Line 1 underground and create public housing on the reclaimed railway sites. As the sixth policy pledge of 'Dreaming of Tomorrow Seoul,' Woo proposed 'Balanced Development between Gangnam and Gangbuk,' stating, "We will put all above-ground sections of Line 1 underground and gradually promote undergrounding of above-ground sections of Lines 2 and 4, as well as the Gyeongui, Gyeongchun, and Jungang lines."

Meanwhile, Shin Ji-hye, leader of the Basic Income Party, retorted to Woo's 'childish' remark by calling it "something like a 386 uncle's talk."

Shin said, "If one has common sense, how can 'elementary school student' be used as a derogatory expression?" pointing out, "It is a very basic human rights awareness that adolescents are not inferior, immature beings, nor objects of charity or lectures."

She added, "If elementary school students could vote, would candidate Woo have spoken so carelessly?" and challenged, "Conversely, wouldn't candidate Woo feel ignored and uncomfortable if he were criticized as a '386 uncle'?"

Shin said the Seoul mayor position is not only for voters, stating, "It is a position that must first respect all Seoul citizens, including adolescents." She then criticized, "Before criticizing the unprepared opposition, I hope he reflects on how qualified he himself is as Seoul mayor."