Oh Se-hoon: "Park Young-sun's election apology to Park Won-soon's victims is too late"

Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Seoul mayor (left), and Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate for Seoul mayor, attended the March 8 International Women's Day event held at the Air Force Hotel in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, and displayed a banner. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Boryeong] Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for Seoul mayor, apologized to the victim on the 8th regarding the sexual harassment incident involving former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon. In response, Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate, expressed that he found it "somewhat puzzling" and criticized it as a "belated election-driven apology."

On the same day, at the 'Korean Women's Associations United, 3.8 International Women's Day Commemoration Event' held at the Air Force Hotel in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Candidate Oh said about Park's apology, "I want to ask whether such a heartfelt apology could only be possible on Women's Day."

Earlier that morning, before a women's policy briefing, Candidate Park stated, "I sincerely apologize once again to the victim related to former Mayor Park Won-soon," and added, "I will do everything I can to help the victim return to daily life as soon as possible." This is the first time Park has directly apologized regarding the former mayor's incident since declaring her candidacy for this by-election.

In response, Candidate Oh pointed out, "It has been over a month since Park began her campaign as the Seoul mayor candidate," and "Nevertheless, I understood that there had been no sincere apology or words of consolation from the Democratic Party candidate to the victim until now, so hearing that she apologized today on Women's Day was somewhat puzzling."

Additionally, Candidate Oh wrote on Facebook that "Park's election-driven apology is too late," and criticized, "If she hastily apologized today feeling pressured after polls showed that either I or Ahn Cheol-soo, the People's Party candidate, would defeat Park as the unified opposition candidate, after avoiding direct answers to appeal to party members during the primary, then she has made a misstep."

Meanwhile, at the commemorative event, Candidate Oh emphasized, "'Women's Happiness (Travel) Project' has been exported to dozens of cities worldwide and has now become a basic part of urban administration," adding, "If I am entrusted with Seoul again this time, you can look forward to it. Travel Project Season 2 will begin." The travel project promoted during Oh's previous term as mayor involved initiatives related to care, jobs, and safety.