Why Does Oh Se-hoon’s Recommendation for SH President Get Rejected Every Time?

Mayor Oh recommended former lawmaker Kim Hyun-ah as SH president candidate; after her rejection, former Kyungsilyeon head Kim Heon-dong also faced rejection... Attention on whether to recommend former Land Ministry director Han Chang-seop or former SH director Jeong Yoo-seung, ex-Seoul Housing Bureau chief.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seoul Metro and Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH) are the two major pillars of Seoul Metropolitan Government-affiliated institutions.

Seoul Metro serves as the "feet" for Seoul citizens, while SH supplies land for building homes or provides apartments for sale and rent to Seoul residents.

Especially as real estate issues have become a nationwide concern, SH's role is crucial.

It is also ironic that the position of SH president has been vacant for several months.

During this critical period, it seems Mayor Oh Se-hoon of Seoul has had an unfortunate relationship with SH. In 2012, under Mayor Park Won-soon's administration, Choi Hang-do, a former chief of the Planning and Coordination Office and a close aide to Mayor Oh, was recommended as a candidate for SH president but was eliminated in the interview due to his strong image.

After more than ten years, Mayor Oh again recommended former National Assembly member Kim Hyun-ah and former Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ) director Kim Heon-dong as SH president candidates, but both were rejected again. Kim Hyun-ah, a former research fellow at the Korea Construction Industry Research Institute established by construction companies, claimed to be a real estate expert and was known for harsh criticism of the Moon Jae-in administration's real estate policies.

Mayor Oh recommended Kim Hyun-ah as a candidate. However, it was revealed that Kim owned four real estate properties?two apartments, one officetel, and one commercial building?and her attitude during the confirmation hearing became problematic. She faced relentless attacks at the Seoul City Council SH president confirmation hearing (Chairman No Sik-rae), and public opinion labeled her as hypocritical, leading to her eventual "voluntary resignation."

Notably, Hong Joon-pyo, a prominent presidential candidate from the People Power Party, strongly criticized the forced appointment of Kim, which ultimately led Mayor Oh to back down.

Subsequently, Mayor Oh played an unexpected card: none other than Kim Heon-dong, former director of CCEJ. It was considered a surprise when Kim was recommended as SH president candidate by Mayor Oh, as he had been a critic of government policies from a civic organization and was now being appointed to lead a key institution responsible for housing supply for Seoul's low-income residents.

However, it was revealed that Kim had discreetly supported Oh Se-hoon during the April 7 Seoul mayoral by-election, and in an interview with a media outlet, he stated, "Citizens made a wise decision. For over ten years, I have praised Oh Se-hoon," which helped explain the process by which he was selected by Mayor Oh.

Because of this, after Kim was chosen as SH president candidate, criticism arose questioning whether civic organizations were political groups. Moreover, Kim claimed that SH had earned 3.1 trillion won in profits from public sale projects over the past 14 years and was engaged in lawsuits with SH over issues such as disclosure of sale costs. As a result, when news of Kim's nomination spread within SH, voices expressing concern about the company's future if he became president emerged.

Reflecting this public sentiment, Kim was unexpectedly eliminated in the SH Executive Recommendation Committee interview. However, some criticized Mayor Oh, saying, "He ultimately chose the wrong candidates in both Kim Hyun-ah and Kim Heon-dong."

The SH Executive Recommendation Committee consists of seven members: three from the Seoul City Council, two recommended by Seoul City, and two by SH. Given this structure, it is difficult for Mayor Oh to push a particular candidate through the interview if public opinion opposes it.

Despite winning by a landslide in the mayoral election, Mayor Oh has faced two consecutive defeats in the SH president appointment process, sparking controversy. A member of the Seoul City Council said, "It is true that Mayor Oh's judgment has deteriorated as he chose people to suit his tastes," adding, "Now, recommending one of the two remaining SH president candidates would be the best choice to avoid further damage."

However, both Han Chang-seop, former head of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Public Housing Promotion Team, and Jeong Yoo-seung, former director of Seoul City's Housing Bureau, applied independently of Mayor Oh's wishes, making it unlikely either will be easily selected. A senior Seoul city official told a reporter on the afternoon of the 26th, "We need to verify both candidates." Considering this, it seems difficult for either to be recommended as president candidate.

Moreover, on the 27th, an unfamiliar group called Sinjeon Daehyeop held a one-person protest in front of the Seoul City Council and issued a statement criticizing Jeong Yoo-seung as the person who promoted social housing during Mayor Park Won-soon's administration and Han Chang-seop as the head of the Gwangmyeong project team that triggered the LH scandal.

This was a prompt response to Mayor Oh's expression of intent to audit the social housing promotion during Mayor Park's era the previous day, drawing attention.

However, Han Chang-seop, a former official with no conflicts of interest, could serve as a bridge between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Seoul City, and SH, so his sudden appointment cannot be ruled out.

Attention is focused on what card Mayor Oh will play next. If he abandons the two currently recommended candidates and ventures to recommend another SH president candidate, conflict with the Seoul City Council seems inevitable. Nonetheless, many point out that it is undesirable for the SH leadership vacancy to be prolonged any further.

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