O Se-hoon Declares Reelection Intent: "At Least 3 Years to Restore Seoul" (Comprehensive)

June Re-election Bid: "Timing and Format Not Yet Decided"
Reassessment of Consignment and Subsidy Projects Emphasizing Goal of 'Setting Seoul Right'
Oh Se-hoon: "No Plans to Raise Seoul Public Transportation Fares"
Criticism of Existing Agency Actions After Change of Seoul Love Gift Certificate Agency
"Han Gyeolwon Must Acknowledge Bid Defeat and Return Franchise Store IDs, etc."

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is holding a New Year's press conference at Seoul City Hall on the 7th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporters Han Jinju and Kim Hyemin] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has set a goal to implement the 'Seoul City Restoration' project, which reduces the budget for projects related to civic groups, for at least three years. As he has made his bid for re-election in June a foregone conclusion, he also expressed his intention to focus on his duties until the presidential election.

At a New Year's press conference on the 7th, Mayor Oh said, "I take pride in the fact that from this year, we can run toward new goals with a focus on the 'future.' The 'Seoul City Restoration' requires at least about three years to correct. It is the right direction to re-examine subsidy projects that have been running for about ten years without a chance for reassessment and reduce inefficiencies."

Mayor Oh stated, "This is about correcting the overall problems such as budgets that have flowed into vested interest groups as a matter of course under the name of consignment projects and subsidy projects in the past, and the part where such groups have come into Seoul City and damaged the organizational atmosphere," adding, "Although the city council has consistently opposed and restored a significant portion of the cut budget, achieving only a fraction of the target, we have taken a big step by fastening the first button."

Regarding the defamation lawsuit filed against him by a nationwide gathering of 1,090 civic groups, Mayor Oh said, "Although they have used the term 'civic groups,' the proper term considering their nature is 'business groups.' The organizations formed by people from those groups received entrusted projects or subsidies, and I cannot agree with their claim to be civic groups in their response." He explained, "We evaluated inefficient and habitual projects to seek desirable changes, and it is not right to resist by taking issue with the expression."

He made his bid for re-election as Seoul mayor in June a foregone conclusion, saying, "No citizen would think I would not run, and last year I reported to citizens that I planned to work based on five years. I have not considered the timing or form of the candidacy, and since there is also a presidential election schedule, I will focus on my duties until I can."

He also firmly stated that there are no plans to raise public transportation fares in Seoul. Instead, he said he would seek institutional changes related to the financial difficulties faced by various local governments regarding public transportation.

He said, "Due to the severe situation caused by Omicron, this is not the right time to consider raising public transportation fares. Self-employed people are struggling, and with the rise in essential goods prices, raising public transportation fares would be unbearable. With the presidential election ahead, I also have expectations for financial support from the central government."

Regarding Seoul City's Zero Pay project, Mayor Oh said, "I do not underestimate Zero Pay and still believe it should continue. Although I considered personnel actions against the heads of the relevant departments due to misunderstandings that we were trying to downsize it, it was postponed due to opposition from the administrative director. I have absolutely no intention of lowering the importance of Zero Pay."

On the issue of friction arising during the change of the Seoul Love Gift Certificate operating agency, Mayor Oh criticized the Korea Simple Payment Promotion Agency (Han-gyeolwon). Although the Shinhan consortium was selected as the new operator on the 20th of last month, the data transfer from the existing agency has not been properly carried out.

Mayor Oh said, "There is a responsible person deeply involved in the management of a company called Webcash serving as the chairman of Han-gyeolwon, which poses a conflict of interest, so I cannot accept Han-gyeolwon's proposal at face value. If they lost the bid, they should return the merchant IDs and phone numbers owned by Seoul City. The essence of this situation is an unnecessary dispute caused by refusing to admit defeat while trying to continuously pursue profits in the process of changing the Seoul Love Gift Certificate budget to a low-cost, high-efficiency direction that benefits merchants and citizens. We will resolve the inconvenience soon by expanding telemarketers and other measures," he said.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is attending the New Year's press conference at Seoul City Hall on the 7th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Oh Se-hoon: "Central Government's Role is Crucial in Easing Reconstruction Regulations"

Mayor Oh announced plans to expand redevelopment and reconstruction supply this year and emphasized the importance of the government's role in regulatory easing. He said, "Seoul City has done almost everything it can, and only the central government's share remains, such as safety inspections, the reconstruction excess profit recovery system, and the price ceiling system. Since the central government's policy stance on easing reconstruction regulations is very important, and all candidates are pledging regulatory easing, significant changes are expected regardless of who wins."

He added, "We have confirmed applying the 'Rapid Integration Planning (Shintong Planning)' to more than 50 reconstruction and redevelopment sites, and the Moa Housing project will soon enter the public contest phase. Public housing will fully implement social mix (a mix of sale and rental housing), and unit numbers will be publicly drawn without distinction between sale and public housing, so that those in difficult circumstances can live satisfactorily in quality housing."

Regarding criticism that the COVID-19 home treatment system was being neglected, he acknowledged insufficient explanations from relevant authorities but explained that the system has changed as the severe case rate has dropped.

Mayor Oh said, "The treatment system paradigm is completely changing, and I think such criticism was expected. Home treatment is also completely changing into a two-track system of general management and focused management. General management is receiving care equivalent to the flu level, and there should have been sufficient prior notice from the government."

He added, "The government is not neglecting the situation; the essence of 'With Corona' is that the severe case rate has dropped to the flu level, making it relatively safer. The core of the changed system is autonomy and responsibility, and it was announced as government policy this morning."

Mayor Oh said he would soon announce plans to distribute self-test kits to multi-use facilities, public transportation workers, and daycare centers. He had proposed the use of self-test kits to the government shortly after taking office.

He explained, "Seoul City is also considering distributing kits to facilities used by the public, bus drivers, taxi drivers, care facility workers, and blind spots like daycare centers. We have requested support from the central government and are currently discussing managing the surge in Omicron cases in connection with this. We will finalize and announce our position soon."

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