Will Kim Heon-dong Be a Boon or a Bane for Oh Se-hoon?

Former Kyungsilyeon Director Kim Heondong Challenges Again After SH President Candidate Rejection; Mayor Oh Sehoon Seems to Reflect His Intent... Seoul City Council Strongly Opposes, Asking "Is This an Intent to Retest Failed Candidates?"... Mayor Oh Declares War on Seoul City Council, Stirring Controversy

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Former head of the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ), Kim Heon-dong, has once again challenged for the position of SH President.

He had already challenged for the SH President position last month but was eliminated. Nevertheless, he has once again effectively made a public bid for the presidency.

Because of this, it is interpreted that, following the first round where it was confirmed that he applied according to Mayor Oh Se-hoon's wishes, Mayor Oh also tacitly approved this time.

Accordingly, the Seoul Metropolitan Council expressed a heated atmosphere, saying, "Does Mayor Oh intend to wage war against the council?" and it is expected that the 'Kim Heon-dong card' will become a trigger that fuels future conflicts with the council.

Kim Hee-geol, chairman of the Urban Planning and Management Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, which oversees Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH), criticized Mayor Oh Se-hoon in a phone call with reporters on the morning of the 18th, saying, "It is like giving the test paper to someone who failed the exam because there is no suitable person and letting them take the test again."

He also said, "Former head Kim Heon-dong effectively announcing his application publicly through media interviews means he is telling others not to enter," criticizing both Oh Se-hoon and Kim Heon-dong together.

No Sik-rae, chairman of the SH President Hearing Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, said, "To appoint someone who failed the SH Executive Recommendation Committee's evaluation, they disparaged those who received better evaluations as unqualified," and added, "If Mayor Oh requests a personnel hearing, it is questionable whether the council should hold one."

The Seoul Metropolitan Council holds the perception that Mayor Oh is doing something unacceptable if he acknowledges the existence of the council, which is one of the two wheels of democracy.

They believe Mayor Oh is not acting normally.

Accordingly, if former head Kim Heon-dong is once again recommended as an SH President candidate to the Seoul Metropolitan Council through the SH Executive Recommendation Committee's document screening and interview, a deadlock in the council seems inevitable.

The worst conflict between Mayor Oh and the council is anticipated during the Seoul Metropolitan Council's administrative audit and regular meetings starting after Chuseok.

Nevertheless, it seems difficult to rule out the possibility that Mayor Oh will push forward with the Kim Heon-dong card this time.

A Seoul city official said, "Mayor Oh will push the Kim Heon-dong card to stage a 'victim cosplay' showing how the Seoul Metropolitan Council is obstructing every matter," and predicted, "That will not be disadvantageous for the next year's Seoul mayoral election."

As a result of the SH Executive Recommendation Committee recruiting presidential candidates until the 17th, it is reported that several people, including former head Kim, have applied.

Accordingly, the SH Executive Recommendation Committee is expected to complete document screening and interviews by the end of this month.

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