Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon criticized his mayoral rival Jung Won-oh of the Democratic Party of Korea, arguing that a leadership style focused solely on responding to civil complaints is insufficient for guiding the capital as a global city.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting the construction site of the Seoul Arena in Dobong-gu on Wednesday, Oh said he found Jung’s emphasis on “complaint-responsive leadership” frustrating.
“Such leadership is certainly necessary. Administrative efforts that promptly respond to citizens’ requests and meet their needs are important,” Oh said. “However, that alone is not enough. It is essential to establish a broader vision and, with a pioneering perspective, invest in infrastructure and present a future direction for the city.”
Oh’s remarks were a direct rebuttal to Jung’s remarks the previous day that “a Seoul mayor should do what citizens want, but Oh pursues what he himself wants to do.”
Oh also pushed back against Jung’s criticism of major city initiatives, including the Hangang Bus. He stressed that expanding attractions that encourage foreign tourists to stay in Seoul for more than a week is fundamental to sound tourism policy, describing Jung’s comments as “outdated and lacking sufficient research.”
Calling for a constructive policy debate, Oh said, “It would be desirable to see a healthy and positive competition of visions. However, hearing disparaging remarks makes it difficult to shake the impression that he is an unprepared candidate.”
jychoi@heraldcorp.com
