Ahn Cheol-soo Effectively Enters Election Race... Oh Shin-hwan Also Joins Primary Contest

Ahn Cheol-soo Visits Child Rights Protection Agency Following Changsin-dong
People Power Party Nomination Committee Holds 2nd Meeting
Oh Shin-hwan Declares "I Will Be a Game Changer"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, who is leading in various opinion polls, has effectively entered the Seoul mayoral race. Former People Power Party lawmaker Oh Shin-hwan has also joined the primary race. The atmosphere for the Seoul mayoral election seems to be heating up, centered around the opposition camp.

On the 5th, Ahn visited the Child Rights Protection Agency in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss measures to eradicate child abuse with experts. This move came in response to the national outcry following the death of 16-month-old adoptee ‘Jeong-in’ due to parental abuse. At the party’s supreme council meeting the day before, Ahn sharply targeted the Seoul city administrative system. He said, “If I become mayor, I will immediately cooperate with the police, child protection agencies, daycare centers, kindergartens, elementary school teachers, and other relevant institutions and experts.”

On January 1st, as his first schedule of the new year, Ahn toured Changsin-dong in Jongno-gu, Seoul, the site of the nation’s first urban regeneration project. At that time, he also stated, “If I become mayor, I will thoroughly inspect Seoul’s urban regeneration projects and correct any mistakes.” This expressed his determination to resolve housing stability, which is considered the top priority for Seoul city.

As various opinion polls showed Ahn’s solo lead, the People Power Party also appeared to become active. The People Power Party’s nomination management committee for the April 7 by-elections held its second meeting on the same day following the first meeting on the 30th of last month, officially starting discussions on the primary method and schedule. Former People Power Party lawmaker Oh Shin-hwan also entered the opposition primary race. At his campaign press conference that day, Oh said, “I, Oh Shin-hwan, born in 1971, will become Seoul’s ‘game changer.’ I will move toward the future. I will stop the Democratic Party’s 586 entrenched interests, who endlessly dwell on the past and are ruining Seoul’s future.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.