Oh Sehoon: "Hangang Bus Will Be Evaluated Like DDP in 2-3 Years"

Appearing on YouTube: "Operations can be sustained with F&B revenue"

On the Garden of Gratitude project suspension: "A political attack"

On concerns over primary race risks: "The fiercer, the better"

Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon addressed the controversy surrounding the Hangang Bus, stating, "In just two or three years, it will be evaluated just as positively as DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza)." He explained that while the project may face criticism in its early stages due to initial operating losses and low demand, he believes that financial independence can be achieved through revenue from pier operations and advertising income.

On the morning of March 3, appearing on the YouTube channel "Hwang Hyunhee's Uncomfortable Yeouido," Mayor Oh said, "It was exactly the same when we built DDP and Sebitseom. Both have become iconic landmarks of Seoul and are now profitable," reiterating his confidence in the project.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is delivering a greeting at the 'Hangang Bus Global Insight Forum' held at Hotel Naru in Mapo-gu, Seoul on the 24th. 2026.02.24 Photo by Dongju Yoon

In particular, Mayor Oh emphasized, "The fare is extremely cheap at 3,000 won. The business can be sustained and the boats can operate thanks to revenue generated from the food and beverage (F&B) business." He explained that the business model was designed to keep fares affordable and to supplement insufficient resources through income from pier operations and advertising.

Similar analyses were presented at the "Hangang Bus Global Insight Forum" held on February 24. Water transportation experts from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia explained that their own models were able to succeed through bold subsidy policies, fare system reforms, and improvements in operational efficiency.

Mayor Oh has consistently expressed confidence in the Hangang Bus achieving profitability. During last year's National Assembly audit, he stated, "Only a small portion of revenue comes from ticket sales. I gained confidence after observing the revenue from pier facilities, advertising, and operational patterns during the service period," adding, "This is not a project that will run a deficit. In fact, I am confident that it will turn profitable at a much faster pace than originally expected."

On this day, Mayor Oh also criticized the government's intervention in the Gwanghwamun "Garden of Gratitude" project as a "political attack." He said, "About 60% of the construction has been completed, and it has been approved by the city council and budgeted accordingly. Suddenly, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport comes in and claims procedural steps were skipped, and talks about suspending the construction. This too is a political attack."

Regarding concerns that a confrontation with Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, could jeopardize his chances in the party primary, Mayor Oh responded, "It is not easy for our party to cut off an incumbent Seoul mayor. If you use common sense, this should not be an issue." He further commented, "Although I hesitate to say this out of concern it might sound self-assured, I still have something to offer. The more intense the primary, the better. As long as boundaries are respected and no foul play occurs, a fierce competition actually helps improve competitiveness in the main election."

Mayor Oh also revealed, "(To Representative Jang) I did suggest a couple of months ago that he step down, but within the party, some are questioning whether there is a suitable person to serve as emergency committee chair, and that asking him to step down without an alternative is excessive. Recently, I have refrained from calling for him to step down, but I do hope he will change his course," he admitted.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.