O Se-hoon Expands Room for Maneuver, Likely to Focus on Policy Messages

Rising Contenders Face Complex Calculations After Ruling Party's Crushing Election Defeat
Attention on Figures Like Oh Se-hoon Who Escaped Responsibility Debate
Likely to Focus on Policy Moves from the Periphery Rather Than Power Struggles
Oh to Concentrate on Riververse, Gondola, Yongsan Development in Second Half

In the 3rd year of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, the recent general election saw the public choosing a 'judgment on the regime,' drawing attention to the movements of potential next presidential candidates. In particular, focus is expected to be on the actions of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, who had remained unaffected by the impact of the election defeat. There is also analysis suggesting that lacking a strong party base is no longer a disadvantage.

In the 22nd National Assembly election held on the 10th, the ruling People Power Party suffered a crushing defeat, leading to mixed fortunes among the ruling party's potential presidential hopefuls. First, Han Dong-hoon, the emergency committee chairman who had been considered a leading next presidential candidate, saw a red light on his presidential path. As the pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) faction centered around Chairman Han weakened, debates over responsibility are expected to intensify.

However, those who did not hold party positions and were thus free from the election results face a different situation. Mayors Oh and Hong are representative examples; as local government heads, they could not actively participate in the general election, but ironically, due to less image damage, they now have more room to maneuver. Mayor Oh stated on Facebook that morning, "I deeply feel the responsibility for failing to gain the trust and love of the people," and vowed, "With the mindset of planting saplings one by one in a scorched wilderness, I will devote all my efforts to restoring the lost trust and love."

What was once considered the biggest weakness, a 'weak party base,' is no longer as significant a variable. In Mayor Oh's case, although former Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Oh Shin-hwan, who was part of the so-called 'Oh Se-hoon faction' and had a relatively high chance of winning, narrowly lost his seat, this has allowed Mayor Oh to seek new political shares equivalent to the responsibility he has been freed from.

However, the political sphere expects that until the party convention and responsibility debates continue into the mid-to-late second half of the year, the focus will remain on policy initiatives. A senior ruling party official also said, "It will take considerable time and energy to analyze the responsibility and results of this general election," and added, "It is still too early to demand a new role from Mayor Oh."

First, Mayor Oh is expected to focus on stabilizing the system of the climate cooperation card, his top priority project in the first half of the year, while also concentrating on the prompt advancement of mid-to-long-term policies such as the Hangang River Bus, Namsan Gondola, and Yongsan International Business District development. Rather than rushing into internal party power struggles, it is advantageous for him to establish his image as an 'economic mayor' from the sidelines and add 'political savvy' to it.

Mayor Hong, who has repeatedly criticized the ruling party, is expected to focus on messages that can further highlight his presence going forward. On the morning of the same day, Mayor Hong also stated on Facebook, "We humbly accept the historic defeat and urge those responsible in the party and government to be swiftly organized."

Another ruling party official predicted, "First, conflicts between the pro-Yoon and anti-Yoon factions will spread due to responsibility disputes, and even within the same faction, noise over party leadership will inevitably continue. Therefore, those who can accumulate both political messages and policy outcomes may more easily reach advantageous positions in the mid-to-long term."