[Park Jong-il Autonomous News] Will Oh Se-hoon Push Through Kim Hyun-ah's Appointment?... Concerns That Drawbacks Outweigh Benefits

Seoul City Council Kim Hyun-a SH President Hearing Special Committee 'Ineligible Resolution' Followed by Civic Groups and People Power Party's Leading Presidential Candidate Hong Joon-pyo Also Demanding Mayor Oh's Nomination Withdrawal, Making Mayor Oh's Persistence Difficult

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is facing a dilemma.

The issue concerns the appointment of Kim Hyun-ah as president of SH Corporation. Since taking office, Mayor Oh recommended former lawmaker Kim Hyun-ah as the head of his first affiliated organization.

Subsequently, the Seoul Metropolitan Council held a hearing on the 27th, intensely questioning the nominee Kim. Even before the hearing, controversy was anticipated as it became known that Kim owned four properties: two apartments in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul and Busan, one commercial building in Seoul, and one officetel in Busan.

During the hearing, Kim defended her multi-home ownership by calling it a ‘benefit of the times.’

However, this statement was evaluated to have caused a great sense of loss among those without homes. Additionally, she disappointed the hearing committee by failing to clearly explain why she leased the Seoul commercial property to her mother without a formal lease contract.

Moreover, controversies arose regarding the mismanagement of ‘Dojeon Forum,’ a corporation worth 30 million won that Kim operated during her proportional representation lawmaker period, raising doubts about whether she is the right person to manage SH Corporation, which has 1,300 employees and assets worth 26 trillion won.

Kim, seemingly emphasizing her status as a former lawmaker, repeatedly addressed the hearing members as “everyone,” which led to a warning from Chairman Noh Sik-rae of the hearing committee.

In short, both her responses and attitude during the hearing were deemed disappointing. Consequently, the Seoul Metropolitan Council concluded that Kim Hyun-ah’s nomination for SH president was ‘unsuitable.’ This was the first such judgment since Seoul City and the Seoul Metropolitan Council signed an agreement to conduct personnel hearings in August 2015.

Furthermore, civic groups and Hong Joon-pyo, a leading presidential candidate from the People Power Party, urged, “Mayor Oh Se-hoon should withdraw the nomination of former lawmaker Kim Hyun-ah, a multi-homeowner, as president of Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH).” On the 30th, Hong posted on his social media, stating, “Appointing a multi-homeowner as the person responsible for supplying housing to ordinary citizens is truly an inappropriate exercise of personnel authority.”

Especially, Kim Hyun-ah had criticized the unfairness of appointing a three-homeowner as Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport during the Moon Jae-in administration, yet she herself owns four homes, which Hong called ‘absurd.’ He emphasized, “Mayor Oh probably did not know this when pushing for the appointment, but if such inappropriate facts have been revealed belatedly, the nomination should be withdrawn.”

Accordingly, the ball is now in Mayor Oh’s court. He is in a difficult position. The issue caused by Kim Hyun-ah’s nomination is not just about the head of a Seoul city-owned enterprise but has become a matter under nationwide scrutiny.

How Mayor Oh handles this issue is expected to have a decisive impact not only on his own future political path but also on public opinion toward the People Power Party.

Moreover, if Mayor Oh pushes through Kim’s appointment, Kim In-ho, chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, is expected to immediately declare a ‘halt to cooperation.’ Recently, Chairman Kim warned that Mayor Oh has been focusing only on his presidential bid without visiting quarantine sites or struggling small business owners, signaling a possible end to cooperation. Although Mayor Oh has since made appearances at quarantine sites, doubts have not been fully dispelled.

Additionally, if conflicts with the council intensify due to the forced appointment of Kim Hyun-ah, major pending issues that Mayor Oh seeks to advance, such as easing floor height restrictions along the Han River, may become difficult to accomplish.

Furthermore, if the conflict with the Seoul Metropolitan Council deepens and public sentiment worsens, it is clear that Mayor Oh’s future presidential bid or next year’s mayoral election will be adversely affected.

Mayor Oh was elected in the April 7 by-election, setting a record as the Seoul mayor elected three times by election, but he currently faces realities such as a surge in COVID-19 cases and skyrocketing Seoul apartment prices following measures like ‘Seoul-style quarantine’ and ‘relaxation of reconstruction regulations.’

Therefore, many believe it will not be easy for Mayor Oh to push through Kim Hyun-ah’s appointment. His own future path, with ongoing speculation about a presidential run within the People Power Party, is considered more important than the appointment of Kim.

It is expected that some conclusion regarding Kim’s nomination will be reached by this weekend. The eyes of 10 million Seoul citizens are focused on Mayor Oh Se-hoon.

A Seoul city official remarked, “I don’t understand why Mayor Oh would nominate Kim Hyun-ah, a multi-homeowner, as president of a public enterprise responsible especially for housing issues of ordinary Seoul citizens,” making a pointed comment.