Do You See the Democratic Party's Seoul Mayor Candidate for Next Year Who Will Face Oh Se-hoon?

The Outline of Ruling and Opposition Presidential Candidates Emerges, but Next Year's Seoul Mayoral Candidates Lack Democratic Party Contenders Besides People Power's Incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon... Amid This, Former Deputy Prime Minister Kim Dong-yeon May Become a Rival to Mayor Oh Regardless of His Own Intentions, Drawing Attention

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The 20th presidential election is less than four months away.

Also, the 8th local elections under direct popular vote, which will be held three months after the presidential election, are just over seven months away.

While winning the presidential election means seizing central power, the local elections involve capturing significant local power.

The Democratic Party of Korea held central power for five years during the 19th President Moon Jae-in era, but it has already controlled local power for 12 years through the 5th, 6th, and 7th terms of direct popular vote.

In particular, the party has almost dominated the Seoul mayor's office and 25 district offices for 12 years, strengthening its regional organization.

Accordingly, next year's Seoul mayor and 25 district office elections are inevitably as important as the presidential election.

Meanwhile, interest in next year's Seoul mayoral candidates is already high.

The People Power Party saw Mayor Oh Se-hoon win the April 7 Seoul mayoral by-election, marking a comeback after 10 years and securing the title of three-term Seoul mayor for the 4th, 5th, and 7th terms.

Despite Mayor Oh's first move on April 8, the day after his election, to visit Kim In-ho, chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, and promise cooperation, he has faced severe conflicts with the council by drastically cutting budgets for urban regeneration and cooperation projects initiated by former Mayor Park Won-soon and pushing former Kyung-sil-ryun headquarters chief Kim Heon-dong as SH Corporation president.

However, Mayor Oh is expected to run as the People Power Party's Seoul mayoral candidate next year. Meanwhile, rumors are circulating that four-term National Assembly member Park Jin of the People Power Party will run as a rival candidate against Mayor Oh.

On the other hand, the Democratic Party has yet to present a Seoul mayoral candidate. Former candidate Park Young-sun was defeated by Mayor Oh, and it seems unlikely that lawmaker Woo Sang-ho will run again.

Moreover, former Justice Minister Chu Mi-ae and lawmaker Park Yong-jin are also widely expected to be insufficient to run as Seoul mayoral candidates after going through the presidential primary.

Because of this, it is reported that within the Democratic Party, there is hope that former Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Kim Dong-yeon, who is currently running for president, might run as the Seoul mayoral candidate if he unifies with Democratic presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, becoming a rival to Oh Se-hoon.

This is currently interpreted as a mere hope, completely different from the intentions of former Deputy Prime Minister Kim's side, drawing attention.

The Seoul mayoral election can be a crucial variable that greatly influences the elections for 25 district offices and Seoul Metropolitan Council members, depending on who is nominated as the candidate.

For this reason, the Democratic Party is believed to be deeply contemplating its options.