Seoul mayor takes aim at DP rivals, PPP chief as he effectively announces re-election bid
Published: 22 Feb. 2026, 18:05
Updated: 23 Feb. 2026, 12:58
![Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, at front with his wife behind him, attends a book talk in celebration of publishing his book, ″Designing the Pride of Seoul Citizens″ (translated), in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Feb. 22. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/23/c846b877-9638-4615-9fdb-f9fab7a6c17c.jpg)
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, at front with his wife behind him, attends a book talk in celebration of publishing his book, ″Designing the Pride of Seoul Citizens″ (translated), in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Feb. 22. [NEWS1]
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) held a book talk on Sunday, where he effectively formalized his bid for a fifth term in the June 3 local elections as he took aim at both Democratic Party (DP) rival Chong Won-o, mayor of Seongdong District, and PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok.
“I was born at 6 Seongsu-dong 1-ga,” Oh said, first focusing his criticism on a pair of DP candidates for Seoul mayor.
"I do not intentionally favor the place where I was born, but naturally I feel attached to it," he said. “After Seongsu-dong was designated as an information technology industry development promotion district in 2010, people in their 20s and 30s working in the IT sector began commuting there, and cafes and restaurants started to emerge.”
The remarks were widely interpreted as a counter to Chong, who has touted the development of Seongsu-dong in Seongdong District — now considered one of Seoul’s trendiest neighborhoods — as his signature achievement.
Oh also criticized DP Rep. Jeon Hyun-heui, who has pledged to dismantle the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) as her No. 1 campaign promise for Seoul mayor, calling her "thoughtless." Jeon had declared on Feb. 2, when announcing her mayoral bid, that she would dismantle the DDP and build a K-pop concert venue called the Seoul Dome on the site.
“The DDP has been generating profit for quite some time and has created a landmark for Seoul,” Oh said. “It is a truly embarrassing call [to tear it down].” The DDP was established in 2007 during Oh’s tenure as part of the “Design Seoul” initiative.
![Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon at center attends a book talk in celebration of publishing his book, ″Designing the Pride of Seoul Citizens″ (translated), in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Feb. 22. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/23/057a32ff-7171-4fec-92f2-be36fda66406.jpg)
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon at center attends a book talk in celebration of publishing his book, ″Designing the Pride of Seoul Citizens″ (translated), in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Feb. 22. [YONHAP]
Although Oh has not formally declared his candidacy, Sunday’s event was seen as a de facto announcement of his fifth-term challenge.
“The Lee Jae Myung administration is persistently attempting to seize control of the three branches of government — determined to dominate not only the legislative and executive branches but even subdue the judiciary,” Oh said. “I feel a sense of mission and responsibility that this election should serve as a check on a government that controls central power and compel it to exercise restraint.”
Oh also directed criticism inward at his own party. Taking aim at Jang, who has refused to distance himself from former President Yoon Suk Yeol, “The factional conflict unfolding within our party has reached a precarious level in the eyes of the public," Oh said. "The position of the PPP leadership is significantly out of step with the general views of many citizens regarding the judicial ruling on former President Yoon.”
Yoon was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday for leading an insurrection by declaring martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. A day later, PPP leader Jang took aim at the verdict, saying that it was "still only a first ruling."
![People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyeok is seen during a PPP supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Feb. 12. [LIM HYUN-DONG]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/23/19c48089-829f-4ef1-a929-809af2f4861d.jpg)
People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyeok is seen during a PPP supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Feb. 12. [LIM HYUN-DONG]
“Given the gravity of the matter, it would have been desirable to go through formal procedures such as a joint meeting of senior party members or a general assembly of lawmakers to gather the party’s collective opinion before expressing a position,” Oh said. “Such prior procedures were not sufficiently carried out.”
Some within the PPP interpret Oh’s firm stance as an effort to broaden his appeal among centrist voters by distancing himself from the party’s hard-line conservative wing. Onlookers also suspect that Oh may seek the party leadership after the June election, but he dismissed the notion.
“I believe my calling is to make Seoul a city firmly established among the world’s top five cities,” Oh said. “I will fulfill my responsibility for that mission, and I have never entertained any other thoughts.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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