[Oh Se-hoon New Year's Press Conference] On Presidential Run: "I am deeply considering it"

"It Is Impossible to Know Whether There Will Be an Early Presidential Election," Says Oh, Remaining Reserved
Future Leadership Model: "Normal Leadership"
Mentions Constitutional Amendment and Decentralization... "Now Is the Right Time for Reform"

Oh Se-hoon, the leading presidential candidate and mayor of Seoul, who is a strong contender for the presidency, stated that he is "deeply considering" whether to run in the presidential election. Although he drew a line by saying, "It is too early to talk about whether I will run for president," considering that he has maintained a principled stance so far, it can be interpreted that he has already made a decision regarding his future political moves.

On the morning of the 22nd, Mayor Oh held a New Year's press conference at Seoul City Hall and mentioned the possibility of running in an early presidential election, saying, "Currently, the impeachment prosecution and the subsequent impeachment trial are underway, and no one can know whether there will be an early presidential election until the conclusion."

So far, Mayor Oh has shown a defensive stance when asked about his intention to run for president. On this day as well, he said, "It is premature to talk about running for president based on unconfirmed facts, and in that sense, talking about running for president goes against a major principle," but he also conveyed that he is considering it from various angles. As a four-term mayor of Seoul, the capabilities he has built are not personal assets but public goods, so he said it is still difficult to give a clear answer as mayor of Seoul.

While he was reserved about whether he would run for president, he presented a concrete direction regarding the future leadership model. Mayor Oh explained, "Now, the people want to see normal leadership and rational governance by normal people," adding, "I think they want a leader who can be infinitely humble in front of know-how, knowledge, and information in governance."

The reason Mayor Oh brought up constitutional amendment and decentralization is in the same context. He emphasized, "The current political crisis is a great challenge, but at the same time, it is the right time for institutional reform," and added, "A constitutional amendment, including restructuring the power system to reduce the leader’s risk and check the power of the legislature, is necessary." He also viewed decentralization as a necessary step for restructuring the power system. Mayor Oh argued, "The system where the central government controls all budgets and personnel and directs economic development has reached its limit," and said, "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 legislature, and other local governments on institutional improvement issues."

Mayor Oh also gave a specific stance on the allegations related to Myung Tae-gyun, which had been a stumbling block for him. Since these could become obstacles to his future political moves, he decided to clear all the suspicions raised by the opposition in advance. Regarding controversies such as the golden phone recordings and polling costs mentioned by Myung Tae-gyun, Mayor Oh said, "I was glad to hear that Myung Tae-gyun submitted the golden phone. Since there is a conversation with Myung Tae-gyun, a prompt investigation has become possible," and asserted, "I will publicly urge the prosecution on this occasion. Please quickly announce the investigation results."

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