Seoul and Busan, Regardless of Party... Focused Negative Campaigning

On the 17th, ahead of the April 7 by-elections, officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission are posting large banners for the by-elections at Seokchon Lake in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Boryeong] Ahead of next month's by-elections, both ruling and opposition parties, regardless of region, are focusing more on negative attacks than on policies.

Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for Seoul mayor, and Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party's candidate for Seoul mayor, have repeatedly expressed uncomfortable feelings toward each other. They have entered a negative phase of exposing allegations and rebuttals. First, regarding Park's statement on the 17th to the victim of the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon's sexual harassment case, saying "I will take full responsibility," on the 18th, candidate Oh demanded "apologize by resigning." On that day, Oh said on Facebook, "The only choice for Park Young-sun, who said she will take full responsibility, is voluntary resignation."

The two are also exchanging sharp disputes over suspicions surrounding candidate Oh's in-laws' land in Naegok-dong. On the 9th, Cheon Jun-ho, a Democratic Party lawmaker and chief secretary of Park's campaign, claimed that in 2009, when Oh was serving as Seoul mayor, he was involved in designating the Naegok-dong land owned by his in-laws in Seocho-gu, Seoul, as a public housing site. In response, the People Power Party filed complaints on the 10th against lawmakers Cheon and Ko Min-jung of the Democratic Party for false information disclosure and candidate defamation. The day before, the Democratic Party counter-sued candidate Oh for false information disclosure, accusing him of making false explanations.

Candidate Oh views the Democratic Party's actions as the start of a "negative election campaign." On that day, Oh emphasized, "The Democratic Party seems scared of me, Oh Se-hoon. There were eight cases just yesterday. The Democratic Party, Park's campaign, the National Assembly, the entire Democratic Party is focusing all its efforts on 'hitting Oh Se-hoon.' With the LH scandal surfacing before the election causing the regime's approval rating to plummet uncontrollably, they are desperately trying to frame me with the real estate corruption issue."

A similar situation is unfolding in Busan. On the 11th, Jang Kyung-tae, a Democratic Party lawmaker, raised allegations of admission corruption involving Park Hyung-joon, the People Power Party's candidate for Busan mayor. Jang claimed, "Kim Seung-yeon, a former Hongik University professor who was a grading committee member at the time, said that around 2000, Park Hyung-joon's wife came with their daughter after the practical exam and requested, 'Please grade well,' and 'Our daughter must not fail.'" In response, the People Power Party's Busan election committee filed complaints with the Busan District Prosecutors' Office against lawmaker Jang and former professor Kim for false information disclosure and defamation.

Additionally, Democratic Party candidate Kim Young-chun and candidate Park Hyung-joon continue to exchange heated debates over LCT and allegations of illegal surveillance related to the Four Major Rivers Project.

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