Ruling party faces Seoul mayoral nomination crisis as Oh Se-hoon hesitates to run
Two top members of South Korea’s ruling People Power Party spoke in Seoul on the 12th about the ongoing Seoul mayoral nomination process. At the National Assembly in Yeouido, Jang Dong-hyeok and Song Eonsuk discussed Oh Se-hoon’s decision not to file for party nomination by the second deadline for Seoul’s mayoral race.
Jang Dong-hyeok said the party’s nomination process must be fair, describing nomination as “the lifeblood” of a fair contest. His remarks signaled a firm stance against Oh Se-hoon’s reluctance to register and his push for changes that would, in effect, realign the party’s leadership and strategy for the race.
Oh Se-hoon had not submitted a mayoral candidacy by the second deadline. Instead, he urged the party to form an “innovative election committee” and to undertake personnel reshuffles aligned with pro-Yoon Suk-yeol faction figures. He also signaled a possible retreat from running, suggesting that if these conditions were met, he would run as a member of the People Power Party.
The party leadership has indicated at least two registered candidates, 이상규 and 윤희숙, would carry the nomination process forward if Oh remained absent. A member of the party leadership described as a hardliner suggested there is no room for a settlement that excludes Oh, framing the stance as a non-negotiable position on the race.
Within the conversation and broader discourse, attention has also turned to whether Oh’s stance is connected to internal turmoil, including the possible resignation of a party committee chair (referred to in the coverage as 이 위원장). The chair had previously said that additional registration remains possible up to the deadline, a position that has fed speculation about internal dynamics.
Jang said he would seek to hear the chair’s exact position directly, noting that attempts to reach the chair by phone were unsuccessful. He indicated he would meet with the chair to obtain a clearer understanding of where the party stands ahead of the nomination process.
Why this matters beyond Korea: Seoul’s mayor oversees a global business hub and one of the world’s most tech-forward cities. The outcome of Seoul’s mayoral race can influence local governance on housing, transportation, infrastructure, and digital policy, all of which affect multinational firms, supply chains, and investment in one of Asia’s largest markets. For the United States, the race offers a read on South Korea’s urban governance priorities, the stability of the alliance, and how Seoul-based policy directions might intersect with U.S.-Korea economic and security ties. The internal party dynamics also signal how South Korea’s ruling bloc plans to navigate urban policy and national politics ahead of upcoming elections.