Na Kyungwon Directly Criticizes Oh Sehoon: "Stop Blaming the Party, Reflect on Yourself First"

by Lee Dongwoo

Published 07 Mar.2026 17:34(KST)

Na Kyungwon, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, criticized Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon on March 7, ahead of the June 3 local elections, saying, "Stop blaming the party," in response to Mayor Oh's repeated calls for a change in the party's direction and his criticism of the party leadership.

On Facebook the same day, Assemblywoman Na stated, "As an incumbent mayor running for a fifth term, if your performance does not meet expectations, you should first engage in self-reflection," adding, "An attitude of claiming credit for positive outcomes while blaming others for negative ones can come across as disingenuous."

Na Kyung-won, Chairperson of the People Power Party's Local Election Strategic Planning Committee, is speaking at the plenary meeting of the Strategic Planning Committee for the local elections held at the National Assembly on the 23rd. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

She also said, "Ahead of the local elections, all party members must be feeling regretful and anxious," and emphasized, "Pointing fingers at each other will not solve the problem. Instead of directing sharp criticism internally, the party can move forward when we channel that energy outward and propose alternatives."

Additionally, Na raised the need to replace the party's Ethics Committee chairperson, pointing out that recent actions by the Ethics Committee have sparked controversy. She cited as an example the disciplinary action taken by the Ethics Committee against lawmaker Bae Hyunjin, who is considered a close ally of Han Donghoon, which was halted by the court.

She also mentioned that Mayor Oh and others, who had been indicted for violating the Political Funds Act and had their eligibility to run in the primary suspended under party regulations, were later allowed to participate in the primary following decisions by the Ethics Committee and the Supreme Council. She said, "While I respect the political decision itself, the process was not smooth, and in particular, the case of Mayor Oh Sehoon deviated from principles."

Assemblywoman Na, herself mentioned as a potential candidate for Seoul mayor within the party, made these remarks as Mayor Oh has repeatedly insisted that it will be difficult to win the local elections without a shift in the party's direction. On the same day, Mayor Oh again stressed the need for change, saying, "A leader who sends soldiers into battle when defeat is certain is unqualified."