Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said on the 24th that "the general election is now approaching," signaling he will take on a role in building unity within the People Power Party. The remarks came a day after an appeals court acquitted him of charges of violating the Political Funds Act.
Oh made the comments to reporters asking about his future role in the party while attending the 2026 Press Photographers' Family Sports Day held at the National Assembly sports field. "The People Power Party will offer comfort to the public when it appears united and integrated rather than divided," he said.
"The Lee Jae-myung administration is causing the public a great deal of worry, including on housing," he said. "The party must become one that presents alternatives with a unified voice." He added, "I will do my utmost to bring together the hearts of those whose thinking is somewhat different and whose philosophies differ."
He sharply criticized calls from parts of the ruling bloc to impeach Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de. "Statements are pouring out from time to time that seem to be under the illusion that elected power stands above the three branches of government," Oh said, calling them "outrageous statements found nowhere in any constitutional textbook." He stressed the independence of the judiciary and called for restraint from the governing party.
He also took aim at the government's housing policy. "Rising sale prices are a problem, but low- and middle-income households and vulnerable groups are suffering because of a triple surge in which jeonse and monthly rents are also climbing," Oh said. Jeonse is a Korean lease system requiring a large lump-sum deposit instead of monthly rent. "The solution is to shift away from policies that excessively force owners to live in their own homes, but no matter how much we urge the government until our mouths hurt, it turns a deaf ear."
On a possible bid for the presidency, Oh said he would focus on running Seoul for the time being, pledging to "make Seoul a special city for quality of life."