Criticism: "Mayor Oh Se-hoon Still Can't Fix the Habit of Leaving Home from 10 Years Ago"

Seoul Metropolitan Council Democratic Party Issues Statement on 4th: "Walkouts and Absences... O Se-hoon's Exit Politics Remain Unchanged After 10 Years... Deep Regret Over Mayor O Se-hoon's Violation of Council Democracy... Calls for Apology to Seoul Council and Citizens"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The Seoul Metropolitan Council's Democratic Party of Korea (Representative Assemblymen Jo Sang-ho, Seodaemun 4) issued a statement on the 4th expressing deep regret over the disruption of the 302nd Seoul Metropolitan Council extraordinary session’s administrative questioning due to Mayor Oh Se-hoon's sudden departure.

They also urged Mayor Oh to bow his head and apologize to the citizens of Seoul and the Seoul Metropolitan Council for disregarding democratic procedures and trampling on parliamentary democracy in this incident.

On the same day, Moon Jang-gil, spokesperson for the Seoul Metropolitan Council Democratic Party of Korea, released a statement titled "Mayor Oh Se-hoon Still Has Not Cured His Habit of Leaving Home 10 Years Ago," expressing these views.

Spokesperson Moon criticized, "On the second day of the 302nd Seoul Metropolitan Council extraordinary session’s administrative questioning on the 3rd, Mayor Oh Se-hoon objected to the administrative questioning by Seoul Councilor Lee Kyung-sun (Seongbuk 4). Despite not receiving permission to speak from the chairperson, he occupied the podium, insisted on giving an immediate explanation, and then suddenly declared a boycott and left the plenary hall."

He further condemned, "The 2021 behavior of Mayor Oh Se-hoon is no different from that of 10 years ago when he repeatedly refused to attend the council while throwing tantrums over the amendment of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s ordinance on the use and management of Seoul Plaza and free school meals. The Seoul Metropolitan Council Democratic Party of Korea cannot help but feel disappointed and lament this."

In particular, from July 2010, when conflicts arose between the Seoul Metropolitan Council and Mayor Oh Se-hoon over the Seoul Plaza ordinance amendment and free school meals, until his resignation in August 2011, Mayor Oh mostly refused to attend plenary sessions, missing 24 out of 43 sessions. It was recalled that he later irresponsibly abandoned his mayoral duties, neglecting the administration for the 10 million citizens of Seoul.

The Basic Ordinance of the Seoul Metropolitan Council stipulates that "when the mayor, superintendent of education, or related officials intend to speak at a plenary or committee meeting, they must obtain prior permission from the chairperson or committee chair." Despite not receiving permission, Mayor Oh occupied the podium, shouted loudly, obstructed proceedings, and ultimately refused to answer administrative questions and left. This behavior is described as arrogance and tantrums that disregard democratic procedures and principles.

Councilor Lee Kyung-sun, who raised the administrative questions at the time, stated in her closing remarks, "Should we give Mayor Oh Se-hoon a chance to come out and respond?" However, with no further remarks, she concluded her closing and ended the administrative questioning.

However, Mayor Oh later suddenly took the podium and demanded the microphone be turned on. Despite Deputy Chairperson Kim Ki-duk, who was presiding over the plenary session, explaining the council procedures and repeatedly informing him that he could not speak immediately but would be given a separate opportunity, Mayor Oh shouted like a child, threw a tantrum, and abruptly left, drawing criticism.

Despite the unprecedented disruption of the plenary session’s two-hour recess, the Seoul Metropolitan Council Democratic Party of Korea, together with the chairpersons, agreed to resume the session on the condition of Mayor Oh’s apology. However, instead of apologizing for the disruption and providing a clear explanation, Mayor Oh distorted the questions, criticized the questioners, and even demanded an apology from them, displaying a brazen attitude. His words and actions, which initially emphasized "coexistence and cooperation" at the start of his term, were nothing but political rhetoric and hypocrisy, thoroughly deceiving the Seoul Metropolitan Council that represents the will of the 10 million citizens of Seoul, as revealed by this incident.

The spirit of anti-parliamentarianism and anti-democracy that Mayor Oh Se-hoon brought to Seoul 10 years ago, plunging the city into conflict and chaos, has revived today in the Seoul Metropolitan Council plenary hall.

Despite social consensus and citizens’ representation, Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who arrogantly and stubbornly abandoned Seoul’s administration, has not changed at all. By rejecting free school meals and normalizing discrimination against children, and by misrepresenting the democratic operation of the plaza as a political intention of certain forces, he avoided responsibility for the false information and confidential document leaks claimed on "Oh Se-hoon TV" by walking out, thereby attempting to nullify the council’s oversight and checks.

In Buddhist scriptures, there is a bird called Gongmyeongjo (共命鳥), an imaginary bird with two heads on one body. Each side thinks that if the other dies, it will benefit itself, but in reality, they share a fate and die together. The Seoul Metropolitan Council and the Seoul Metropolitan Government are a community of shared destiny responsible for the happiness and safety of 10 million Seoul citizens. They are the two wheels of a cart, the two heads of the Gongmyeongjo. Mayor Oh Se-hoon must remember that nothing can be achieved by trampling on procedural democracy, belittling the citizens’ representation, and being arrogantly solitary.

The Seoul Metropolitan Council Democratic Party of Korea sternly warns Mayor Oh Se-hoon: Reflect humbly on the public criticism questioning whether you are not only self-centered (唯我獨尊) but also infantile self-centered (乳兒獨存), and practice mature democracy that respects dialogue and procedures. The Seoul Metropolitan Council Democratic Party of Korea deeply reflects on the violence and ignorance inflicted on the council today and strongly urges Mayor Oh Se-hoon once again to sincerely apologize to the 10 million citizens represented by the Seoul Metropolitan Council with a repentant heart.

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