Kim Byung-min Appointed as Campaign Spokesperson
Mayor Oh Presents Major Policy Proposals After Martial Law Incident
Expected to Participate in Primary While Retaining Mayoral Position
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon will officially announce his candidacy for the presidential election on the 13th. Since early this year, Mayor Oh has emphasized his presence as a presidential contender by presenting major policy ideas such as deregulation and economic growth. Regarding the somewhat delayed decision to run for president, he mentioned it was due to a sense of 'apology' over the impeachment political situation.
On the 9th, Mayor Oh's camp stated, "Mayor Oh has decided to declare his candidacy for the 21st presidential election on the 13th at a symbolic location where the Yakja Donghaeng policy, which has been the core of his mayoral administration, can be extended as a national policy of the Republic of Korea." Although the specific location has not yet been decided, it is known that several places symbolizing Yakja Donghaeng are being considered.
After finishing his schedule that afternoon, Mayor Oh told reporters about his decision to run for president, "Considering the process in which the president from our party was impeached, I feel infinitely sorry and apologetic to the people, so it was not easy for me to make a quick decision as if nothing had happened," adding, "That is why my decision was somewhat delayed."
He cited 'accompanying the weak' as his distinctive strength. He said, "Our country's economic situation is currently very poor, and at times like this, I believe we must think about the economically and socially vulnerable," adding, "My mindset toward the presidential election is also about accompanying the weak, and although various pledges will be announced, the main focus will be on accompanying the weak."
Political appointees who will play roles in the camp also submitted their resignations that day. These include Kim Byung-min, Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs of Seoul, Lee Jong-hyun, Special Advisor for Public Communication, Park Chan-gu, Political Special Advisor, and Lee Ji-hyun, Special Advisor for Vision and Strategy. After his resignation, Deputy Mayor Kim is expected to serve as the spokesperson for Mayor Oh's campaign.
Earlier, Mayor Oh began preparing for the presidential race in earnest by signing a contract for an office in the 'Manhattan21' building opposite the People Power Party's central office in Yeouido. A representative from Mayor Oh's camp said, "Since the People Power Party established its current headquarters in 2020, the first moment of victory was the 2021 by-election when Mayor Oh became Seoul mayor," adding, "The Manhattan21 building is a space that reminds us that Mayor Oh was the main figure leading the People Power Party's first victory and served as the catalyst for conservative reconstruction."
After the December 3 emergency martial law incident last year, Mayor Oh sought differentiation by presenting major economic and security policies. He made 'deregulation' the key issue on New Year's Day and proposed concrete alternatives such as achieving a 5% growth rate and establishing a Deputy Prime Minister for Corporate Growth. He also continued to argue for boldly removing unnecessary regulations to revitalize virtual assets and securities.
He consistently expressed his views on foreign affairs and security, topics difficult for local government heads to handle. On the 11th of last month, at a National Assembly forum, Mayor Oh emphasized the need for South Korea to secure 'nuclear potential' through transactional negotiations with former President Donald Trump. Regarding the recent U.S. decision to impose reciprocal tariffs, he suggested, "A package deal with Trump is still possible," and proposed, "The key is to offer bold investment and cooperation in areas the U.S. needs, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), shipbuilding, nuclear power, and advanced batteries."
Mayor Oh is expected to participate in the party primary while maintaining his mayoral position, using about 50 days of remaining leave. The People Power Party's final presidential candidate selection date is May 3, and metropolitan government heads must resign by May 4, which is 30 days before the election, to run in the presidential election. Mayor Oh said on this day, "I believe it is my duty to the citizens of Seoul who elected me to run the election while maintaining my mayoral position," adding, "Using only the accumulated leave days is enough to cover the primary period and more, so I am not considering resignation."
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