Seoul City Audit, 'Hangang Bus' and 'Myeong Taegyun' as Key Issues... Temporary Suspension Amid Shouting (Comprehensive) [2024 Audit]

15th National Assembly Public Administration Committee, Seoul City Audit
Questions on Seoul City Core Projects Including Hangang Bus
Opposition Party 'Barrage' Related to 'Myeong Taegyun Political Broker'

During the Seoul Metropolitan Government's National Assembly audit conducted by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee on the 15th, questions focused on the Han River Bus project, part of Seoul's 'Great Han River Project,' and political broker Myung Tae-gyun. At one point, the audit was suspended due to loud exchanges between ruling and opposition party members during the questioning about Mr. Myung.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon dismissed allegations surrounding the 'Han River Bus' as 'no problem' during the National Assembly audit on the 15th. The Han River Bus is an eco-friendly water public transportation service operating between seven piers: Magok, Mangwon, Yeouido, Jamwon, Oksu, Ttukseom, and Jamsil. The city plans to introduce eight eco-friendly vessels and begin operations in March next year.

On the 15th, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon attended the National Assembly's audit of Seoul City Hall held by the Administrative Safety Committee at Seoul City Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul, responding to lawmakers' questions. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

When questioned about the controversy over the qualifications of the shipbuilding company, Mayor Oh said, "After thorough preparation, when this project starts in March next year, I am confident that by next summer at the earliest, we will be able to proudly explain how the River Bus (Han River Bus) operates and what achievements it has made. I hope constructive discussions will take place next year."

Democratic Party lawmaker Yang Bu-nam pointed out that the speed of the Han River Bus falls short of the city's initial announcement, making it unlikely to serve effectively as public transportation. Lawmaker Yang said, "Mayor, you mentioned last February that the maximum speed of the Han River Bus would be 20 knots and the travel time from Magok to Jamsil would be 54 minutes, but according to the company that designed the Han River Bus, the appropriate speed is 14.4 to 15.5 knots," adding, "This means there will be at least a 30-minute delay compared to the initially announced figures."

In response, Mayor Oh said, "The maximum output speed is set at 20 knots. If it can cover the distance from Jamsil to Yeouido in about 30 minutes, I believe it is competitive," adding, "Moreover, the Han River Bus is not a transportation mode competing with the subway in terms of speed but rather an alternative for those who want to enjoy the scenery and commute without rushing."

'Myung Tae-gyun' Black Hole at Seoul City Audit

During the Seoul Metropolitan Government audit that day, there were also numerous questions regarding Mr. Myung, a key figure in the allegations of First Lady Kim Geon-hee's involvement in candidate nominations.

When Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Gun-young, the Public Administration and Security Committee's secretary, asked, "There are defamatory remarks about the mayor among Mr. Myung's statements. Do you intend to file a lawsuit?" Mayor Oh replied, "I have already prepared the complaint." When fellow party member lawmaker Wi Seong-gon asked how many times he had met Mr. Myung and whether he would file a lawsuit, Mayor Oh said, "To my recollection, I met him about twice," adding, "I will decide on filing a lawsuit depending on what Mr. Myung does going forward."

After the Q&A regarding Mr. Myung, loud exchanges erupted between ruling and opposition lawmakers, leading to a recess in the audit. During questioning with lawmaker Yoon, Mayor Oh requested "sufficient time to answer," saying, "Is the head of the audited institution a criminal? You need to listen to the institution head's explanation." Subsequently, opposition lawmakers raised their voices, saying, "Did we come here to listen to the mayor?" When expressions implying that Mayor Oh was being 'petty' surfaced, the loud exchanges continued, prompting Committee Chair Shin Jeong-hoon to declare a suspension of the audit.

Questions on Current Issues Including Sangam World Cup Stadium Turf and TBS

On the 15th, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon attended the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee's audit of Seoul City Hall held at Seoul City Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul, responding to lawmakers' questions. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

In addition, questions and answers were exchanged regarding other pressing issues facing Seoul. The Sangam Seoul World Cup Stadium is a place where soccer players have directly expressed dissatisfaction due to turf damage. When lawmaker Wi pointed out, "Seoul City received 8.3 billion KRW in stadium rental income but only spent 120 million KRW on maintenance," Mayor Oh acknowledged, "I admit that we failed to thoroughly manage the turf," and apologized to the public.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government's decision to revoke the designation of TBS as a funded institution, cutting off budget support and putting it at risk of closure, also became a 'hot potato.' People Power Party lawmaker Lee Seong-gwon said, "In the case of TBS, Seoul City's financial support accounts for 77%, and from 2020 to 2021, it exceeded 72%. This is an excessive dependency compared to other public broadcasters." Mayor Oh analyzed, "Independence means not only administrative independence but also having the conditions to be financially independent, which was lacking."

However, Song Ji-yeon, head of the TBS branch of the Korean Federation of Mediaworkers' Unions, who attended the audit, lamented, "We have been operating without production costs since March last year," adding, "The broadcaster is in a situation where it could shut down, including layoffs, frequency return, and physical liquidation." She also said, "There are many procedural problems with the revocation of the funded institution status," and requested, "I hope the City Council can be persuaded to create a new support ordinance if possible."

During the Q&A with People Power Party lawmaker Jeong Dong-man, Mayor Oh said, "Regardless of the union leader's views, TBS members know better than anyone the efforts I have made."