Ruling People Power Party Pushes Rapid Innovation Campaign Committee for Seoul and Beyond
Ahead of South Korea’s June 3 local elections, a small-government faction within the ruling People Power Party is pressing for a rapid formation of the party’s Innovation Campaign Committee to lead its electoral effort in Seoul and beyond.
PPP lawmaker Kim Jae-seop appeared on SBS Radio to say that if the committee’s head, Jang Dong-hyeok, does not take the post, “the Seoul election should be left to us,” suggesting the party should focus on areas where Jang’s support is strongest rather than contesting Seoul as a whole.
Kim also criticized Jang’s request to delay disciplinary discussions before the local elections, arguing that failing to discipline symbolic figures is not an ethical stance and that such actions are necessary. He described Oh Se-hoon’s current political moves as an indication of a strong push to run, adding, “I understand why he’s doing it.”
Another ally, Park Jeong-hoon, who aligns with Oh’s camp, said on MBC Radio that Oh cannot run the capital election with Jang’s face and that the party intends to install a different figure on the Innovation Campaign Committee. Park indicated Kim Jong-in, the former emergency leadership figure, is being considered, though any choice would come with conditions and would be aimed at winning rather than merely preserving a seat.
Park also stressed that any entry by Kim Jong-in would depend on the right conditions and that he would come to win, not simply to hold a position. The remarks reflect a broader debate within the party about presenting a new face to voters in Seoul.
Oh Se-hoon had not submitted candidacy applications by the extended deadline, despite urging the party to move quickly on the Innovation Campaign Committee. He has said that action is needed, but public signs of progress toward launching the new campaign team had not appeared by the time of the reports.
Context for international readers: Seoul, the capital and largest city of South Korea, is a major testing ground for national political trends. The results of the June 3 local elections help gauge the ruling party’s public support, potential policy directions on housing, urban development, and technology governance, and how aggressively the party will pursue reform ahead of national contests. For U.S. interests, Seoul’s leadership can influence regulatory climates affecting multinational firms, supply chains in semiconductors and electronics, urban infrastructure investment, and bilateral cooperation on security and alliance management in a rapidly evolving Indo-Pacific region. A strong showing by the PPP in Seoul could signal more stable policy support for U.S. business and defense cooperation, while internal contestation within the party can complicate cross-border agenda planning. Photo credit: Yonhap News Agency.