[Oh Se-hoon New Year's Press Conference] "Normalization of Abnormality... Constitutional Amendment Needed for Legislative Checks"

New Year's Meeting with Reporters for 2025
On Presidential Bid Possibility: "Still Considering"
"Reform Needed to Check Parliamentary Power"
On Myeong Taegyun Allegations: "Expecting Prompt Investigation"

On the 22nd, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon held a New Year's meeting with reporters and diagnosed the spirit of the times as "normalization of the abnormal," stating that to challenge the presidential election, experience in national governance and humility are necessary.

During a meeting with reporters at Seoul City Hall that morning, Mayor Oh said, "Through this impeachment phase, the people may have developed a desire to see rational national governance carried out by normal people," adding, "In that sense, I think they most earnestly want the normalization of the abnormal and a unified Republic of Korea." This was interpreted as a veiled criticism of President Yoon Seok-yeol, who faced dismissal under emergency martial law, and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is on trial for criminal charges.

Mayor Oh then spoke about the qualifications for presidential candidates, saying, "I think people want a leader who has national governance know-how developed through sufficient trial and error, and who possesses a mindset of infinite humility in the face of knowledge and information," adding, "I believe the citizens who worry about the country's future have developed a sense of crisis that things cannot continue as they are." Regarding his own presidential candidacy, he stated, "I am deeply considering it," adding that "it is too early to talk about whether to run in the presidential election now."

Mayor Oh said, "The current political crisis is a great challenge, but at the same time, it is the right time for institutional reform," and emphasized, "A constitutional amendment is necessary, including restructuring the power system to reduce the risks of leaders and to check parliamentary power." He also viewed decentralization as a necessary step for power structure reform. Mayor Oh argued, "The system where the central government controls all budgets and personnel while directing economic development has reached its limits," and stated, "Local governments, which know their regions best, should be able to independently establish development plans and exercise authority over budgets, personnel, and regulations." He added, "I will actively consult with the government, the National Assembly, and other local governments on institutional improvement issues."

Regarding allegations related to Myeong Tae-gyun, Mayor Oh said, "I was pleased to hear that Mr. Myeong Tae-gyun submitted a golden phone. Since there is a conversation with Myeong Tae-gyun, a prompt investigation has become possible," and added, "I will publicly urge the prosecution on this occasion. Please promptly announce the investigation results." Mayor Oh stated, "Deregulation is a key to enhancing not only Seoul's economy but also the competitiveness of the entire Republic of Korea," and said, "Through this, we will create more jobs and make Seoul a city where startups and innovation thrive."

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