O Se-hoon Receives Continuous 'Love Calls'... Kim "Expresses Respect" Hong "Will Carry On the Pledges"

Hong Junpyo, Kim Moonsoo, Na Kyungwon, and Ahn Cheolsoo Seek Support
Moderate Conservative Votes at a Crossroads... The Rise of a Kingmaker

Preliminary presidential candidates from the People Power Party are sending continuous 'love calls' to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who has declared he will not run. Among the candidates likely to pass the first primary round, all except former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon are reaching out to Mayor Oh, actively courting him. In a situation where there is no clear 'number one' candidate, Mayor Oh, who has strong support among moderate conservative voters, is emerging as the 'kingmaker' for the People Power Party's final candidate.

Former Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo, who met with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, is taking a commemorative photo with Mayor Oh, who came out to see him off, as he leaves the mayor's office at Seoul City Hall on the 16th. Photo by Yonhap News

On the morning of the 16th, former Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo held a breakfast meeting with Mayor Oh at Seoul City Hall and told reporters, "I commend Mayor Oh for enhancing the happiness of Seoul citizens with excellent policies and for demonstrating exemplary implementation of good systems to the entire nation," adding, "These aspects will be fully reflected in the presidential election, and if elected, I promise to implement them well."

Former Minister Kim said, "I will boldly abolish unnecessary regulations on all local governments going forward," and evaluated, "Seoul City is very advanced in policies such as Didimdol and Seoul Run in education and welfare." Regarding the possibility of alliance, he left the door open by saying, "There are policy areas where Mayor Oh and I share agreement that differ from other candidates."

Earlier, former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo had a dinner meeting with Mayor Oh at the Seoul Mayor's residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, the previous day. Kim Dae-sik, chief secretary of Hong Joon-pyo's campaign, told reporters after the dinner, "We had an in-depth discussion about Mayor Oh's pledge to walk alongside the underprivileged," adding, "Mayor Hong said, 'We will accept this pledge as it is and make sure to carry it out.'" Both former Minister Kim and former Mayor Hong initiated meetings with Mayor Oh's side.

In addition, People Power Party lawmakers Na Kyung-won and Ahn Cheol-soo also met with Mayor Oh in the morning and at lunchtime, respectively. Mayor Oh was initially considered a strong potential presidential candidate for the People Power Party but suddenly declared on the 12th, "To normalize the abnormal, I will serve as a white knight and play a pioneering role," announcing his withdrawal from the race. Political circles believe that the dynamics of the People Power Party primary will change depending on which candidate Mayor Oh's supporters shift their votes to. While there is a possibility that former leader Han and lawmaker Ahn, who share overlapping moderate support bases, will absorb these votes, it cannot be ruled out that former Minister Kim or former Mayor Hong could also benefit depending on the political situation.