hankyoreh

Aug. 26. (Photo by Kim Tae-hyoung)

By Seong Yeon-cheol

Oh Se-hoon resigned his position as mayor of Seoul on Friday, taking responsibility for the defeat of a referendum opposing free school lunches. Politicians subsequently began preparations for a mayoral by-election that will be taking place on Oct. 26.

Speaking at a press conference at the Seoul City Hall annex in Seosomun on Friday, Oh said, “I wish to fulfill my responsibility by resigning immediately in order to minimize political controversy and an administrative vacuum stemming from by actions.”

“As of today, I intend to resign to my position as Mayor,” Oh said.

Regarding the referendum results, Oh said, “Even if the results I was hoping for did not emerge, this, too, is a reflection of popular sentiment today.

Oh also strongly criticized free school lunches for all students as an excessive welfare service.

“Excessive welfare services necessarily lead to higher taxes or a heavy debt on future generations,” he said.

Following the announcement, ruling and opposition party politicians began preparations for the Oct. 26 by-election.

Grand National Party (GNP) spokesman Kim Ki-hyun said, “The GNP will nominate a candidate who can strengthen working class and middle class welfare services while rejecting ‘handout populism.’”

At an extended meeting of Democratic Party (DP) officials Friday, Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu called for renewed determination, and said, “Now is the time for us to get ourselves together before this referendum victory.

The GNP shrugged off a dismal atmosphere Friday in the wake of Oh’s resignation and began organizing its ranks for the mayoral by-election in October. The party appeared to be somewhat disconcerted to face the unanticipated task of having to fight an election battle.

Originally organized by GNP Chairman Hong Joon-pyo for a discussion of Oh’s resignation, a breakfast meeting among Seoul-area party member council heads Friday morning turned into a meeting on by-election measures.

“A consensus was reached at the meeting that we should be focusing all our attention on the Seoul mayoral by-election taking place on Oct. 26,” said Kim Ki-hyun.

National Assembly members steeled their resolution at the talk, with Lawmaker Gu Sang-chan declaring, “If we lose the Seoul mayorship at a time when we have lost almost all of Seoul’s district office head and metropolitan and district council seats to the opposition, we have no choice but to face next year’s general and presidential elections completely defeated.”

An attendee said, “Some also said we have a fighting chance in the by-election if we draw on supporters angry at the fact that they voted in the free school lunch referendum and the ballot boxes were never even opened.”

The opinion was also voiced at the gathering that the party’s welfare policy should be retooled in preparation for a second round of welfare debates for the October by-election.

All of these factors have given the party leadership a great deal to consider.

A key party official said, “We had only been thinking about the general elections next April, and all of a sudden a big task came up,” suggesting that the party’s operations have become complicated by the “general election-level variable” of the mayoral by-election in October.

Observers are predicting that Chairman Hong Joon-pyo’s system could be directly influenced by the outcome of the race. Hong remained at the GNP headquarters in Yeouido on Friday discussing future measures with associates.

Hong continued to express open displeasure with Oh on Friday. At a talk with Seoul party member council heads, he said, “This talk about taking care of unfinished business and finishing the parliamentary audit before stepping down in early October should the circumstances arise for him to resign as mayor was not something the party requested, but a pledge Mayor Oh made several times to the Cheong Wa Dae and the party.”

Hong also said, “The party never made a single request or mention about the timing for his stepping down.”

Following Oh’s press conference, Hong lambasted him to journalists, saying, “Oh Se-hoon started with an event and ended with an event. As of today, Oh Se-hoon is finished.”

Ruling and opposition party contenders were coming from out of the woodwork Friday as soon as Oh announced his resignation. By evening, there were already twenty or so people in the running. More of them are from the Democratic Party, which is currently inspired by the outcome of the city’s referendum.

Lawmaker Choo Mi-ae said she planned to make a formal announcement of her intent to run at a publication party next week. Supreme Council member Chun Jung-bae took his first steps in campaigning Friday by switching his address from Ansan, Gyeonggi, to Seoul's Gwanak District. Policy committee Chairwoman Park Young-sun hinted indirectly that she was not averse to running in a radio interview Friday. Lawmaker Jun Byung-hun also plans to announce his contention next week, while former lawmaker Kim Han-gil declared his intentions as well. The name of former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook was frequently mentioned among Roh Moo-hyun supporters. Other possibilities discussed were Supreme Council member Lee In-young, 2.1 Institute Chairman Lee Kye-an, and Lawmaker Kim Sung-soon. Among outside figures, Hope Institute Executive Director Park Won-soon is considered a prospect.

From the Democratic Labor Party, New Community Institute Director Choi Kyu-yeop was mentioned, while former New Progressive Party Chairman Roh Hoe-chan has also been discussed.

Within the GNP, few were seen actively tossing their hat into the mayoral ring, an indication that the party’s by-election prospects are not bright. The most frequently mentioned possibility was Supreme Council member Na Kyung-won, who battled Oh last year for the GNP mayoral candidacy. Also mentioned were Yeouido Institute Director Chung Doo-un, as well as lawmakers Jeong Tae-keun, Hong Jung-wook, and Kwon Young-jin from the party’s junior and reform wings. The names of Lawmakers Kwon Young-se and Park Jin were also discussed. From outside the party, the names of former Prime Minister Chung Un-chan, Minister of Public Administration and Security Maeng Hyung-kyu, and former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon were also bandied about among GNP lawmakers.

Meanwhile, DP Lawmaker Lee Mi-kyung criticized the actions of the contenders within her party.

“Now is the time for making dinner, not setting the table,” she said. “It is very disconcerting to see people declaring their candidacy as soon as the by-election was decided upon, as though they were lying in wait.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]