[Local Election Interview] Yoon Heesook: "Oh, at This Rate, It's an 'Official Seal Abandonment'... Let's Demand Reform in the Primary"

"Over the past 20 years of Park Won-soon and Oh Se-hoon's administrations, Seoul has been in decline. The number of ordinary citizens being driven out due to soaring housing prices, unable to find a place to live, has increased, and more young people are losing their dreams and hope because they cannot find job opportunities. The most urgent issues that Seoul must resolve now are places to live and jobs."

Yoon Heesook, former member of the People Power Party who has announced her candidacy for Mayor of Seoul in the 9th nationwide local elections scheduled for June 3, stated in an interview with The Asia Business Daily on March 16, "What Seoul needs now is a mayor who desperately takes on these challenges to inject vitality into a city that is losing its energy."

Born in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, Yoon entered Seoul National University and the Korea Development Institute (KDI) before being elected to the 21st National Assembly. She drew public attention with her speech, "I am a Tenant." After the last presidential election, she served as the party's Innovation Committee Chair and was the first to call for "Jeol-yoon" (absolute Yoon). Regarding the party's currently low approval ratings, Yoon remarked, "Since December 3, the party has consistently made mistakes," adding, "Although a resolution calling for 'Jeol-yoon' was adopted, its lack of substance means it failed to resonate with the public."

Yoon criticized Mayor Oh's decision to defer his nomination application while discussing the Innovation Election Countermeasures Committee and other matters, calling it an "Ok-sae Po-gi Run" (abandoning the official seal and running away). This alludes to the controversy surrounding the stamping of the Saenuri Party's representative seal during the 20th general election in 2016.

Yoon Heesook, former People Power Party member, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at her office in Yeouido, Seoul. March 13, 2026 Photo by Hyunmin Kim

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She said, "Where in the world is there a general who refuses to go to battle unless given the weapon of their choice?" adding, "Now is the time for Mayor Oh, as the leading candidate, to stand together with other candidates during the primary, speak with one voice against the ruling party, and lead the way in changing and renewing our party."

Yoon emphasized that finding a place to live and jobs captures the spirit of the times for the Seoul election. Her key pledges include: ▲the "Real Estate All-out Supply" three-point set (expanding floor area ratios, fiscal loans for relocation expenses, public contribution resident voting system, simplification of redevelopment paperwork, and converting land in old downtown areas for housing); ▲the construction of the Chang-dong "K-Culture Nexus (Seoul Fandom COEX)" and the city's second government building; and ▲the creation of the Hongneung Artificial Intelligence (AI) Valley.

Regarding real estate supply policy, Yoon stated, "The past five years should have been a time when Seoul devoted itself to significantly increasing housing supply, but that did not happen," and added, "Although central government regulations play a major role in real estate policy, the mayor also holds substantial authority. I will focus on expanding floor area ratios and upgrading zoning categories."

The following is a Q&A with Yoon Heesook.

-What made you decide to run for Mayor of Seoul?

▲I know this election will be an extremely difficult one. However, I have my own strategy and sense of mission. It is about our party's identity. Last year, our party apologized for the December 3 Martial Law for the first time. The core of that apology was the reflection that we failed to stop martial law because of politics that lined up behind power. The original spirit of conservative politics is to uphold the constitutional order, to make society prosper with competent policies that understand the market and the world, and to be responsible to future generations. Because this spirit has weakened, we are in the current situation. This local election must be an opportunity to reaffirm what our party originally stood for.

-Current opinion polls show that support for the People Power Party is very low.

▲I believe the party has handled things poorly for the 15 months since martial law. The implication of the poll results is clear. On the 9th, a resolution was passed at a party general meeting to oppose the political comeback of former President Yoon Sukyeol, but it failed to resonate with the public. That is because the content was extremely insufficient. By insufficient, I mean that the principles of a proper apology were not included. There was no explanation of what we did wrong or what we would fix to prevent this from happening again.

That does not mean the resolution has no value. It is a very important starting point. What matters now is what the party will do next. It also depends on how the primary candidates act. How the party will change and what messages the candidates can deliver is important. The key is whether the primary can give hope to the public and our supporters.

-Mayor Oh Se-hoon has repeatedly postponed applying for the nomination.

▲Mayor Oh described himself as the "lead general" of this local election. But by not registering as a candidate, he gave the impression that, unless he is given the weapon of his choice, he will not enter the race. This reminds me of former Chairman Kim Moo-sung's "Ok-sae Run" during the nomination turmoil in the 20th National Assembly election in 2016. The current resolution is the beginning of a shift in direction. Moving forward, if leading candidates in the primary jointly demand party reform and that demand resonates with supporters, the party will have no choice but to respond. Now is the time for Mayor Oh to register as a candidate, which would give his words much more weight. Amplifying the message together with other candidates and uniting supporters is the way to transform the party.

-Mayor Oh is demanding an innovation campaign committee and personnel reform. What is your view?

▲Personnel reform is very important when transforming the party. The problem is how the general (Mayor Oh) appears if he sets conditions and says, "I will not do it unless this happens." Personnel reform also has to be led by the candidate. The process of drawing that out can itself become a winning factor in the grand battlefield of the local election.

-What do you see as the spirit of the times for this local election?

▲Because the People Power Party failed to respond properly, the current administration is now in a situation where everything in the country depends on the words of President Lee Jaemyung alone. Thus, the president remains silent on unfavorable issues and only says what he wants. For example, regarding real estate, he mentions it on social media every night, but does not provide answers regarding the shock of jeonse and monthly rent. The same goes for the exchange rate issue. There is little backlash over the three judicial reform bills and the allegations of dropping prosecutions. Now, he seems to feel he controls everything.

This Seoul mayoral election is the last bastion for creating a force to keep the administration in check. It is extremely important for balance. Seoul is losing its vitality. Over the past 15 years, 1 million people have left. Many ordinary citizens have been forced out of Seoul due to real estate, and young people without jobs cannot pursue opportunities or dreams. I doubt whether Park Won-soon's 10 years and Oh Se-hoon's 10 years as mayor have properly addressed these issues. We need a mayor who is determined to restore the city's vibrancy and who sees these issues as critical. If that happens, we can also gain the power to keep the central government in check. That is what I believe is the spirit of the times for this Seoul mayoral election.

-How do you evaluate Mayor Oh Se-hoon's five years in office?

▲I am not satisfied. Seoul should be a city where people are not driven out and can dream, but Mayor Oh focused on design and landmark projects. I question whether flagship projects like the Han River Bus are really important to the daily lives of Seoul citizens. Seoul's energy is declining. There is a shortage of both jobs and housing. He should have dedicated himself to reviving the city's vitality.

-How do you assess the landmark projects of previous administrations?

▲Mayor Park Won-soon's "Seoullo 7017" was modeled after New York's High Line Park. But New York's structure is a railway, which bears heavy loads and is located between buildings, so it stays cool even in summer. Seoullo 7017 is not like that. It is hot in summer and cold in winter. Mayor Oh Se-hoon's Han River Bus appears to be modeled after the Thames Clippers in London, but in London, you can walk straight to the pier from your home. In Seoul, accessibility is poor due to the Olympic Expressway and embankments. It is difficult for it to serve as a commuting transportation option. Both cases simply copied the appearance.

-How do you assess the real estate policies of past mayors?

▲If they truly recognized the gravity of the housing problem, they should have fought with everything they had. When Mayor Park Won-soon released 430 redevelopment zones, it was entirely predictable that a supply shortage would follow. The past five years should have been a period of all-out efforts to increase housing in Seoul. However, citizens have not felt that was the case. While central government regulations are a significant factor in real estate, the mayor clearly has authority as well. There are things that can be done, such as raising floor area ratios and upgrading zoning. Also, redevelopment and reconstruction guidelines run to thousands of pages. These should have been simplified to allow redevelopment projects to proceed rapidly.

-Redevelopment and reconstruction have been promoted, but critics say it takes 10-15 years to result in increased supply, so short-term measures are needed.

▲That is why non-apartment measures are important. Just sending a consistent signal that redevelopment and reconstruction will proceed can change public sentiment to, "If I wait a little longer, things will improve." The problem is the Lee Jaemyung administration's October 15 policy last year. Because the LTV (loan-to-value ratio) was reduced from 70% to 40%, redevelopment projects on the verge of breaking ground were stalled. There are about 31,000 such households in Seoul. If relocation loans are blocked, the projects cannot proceed. If I become mayor, my first priority will be to address the side effects of the October 15 policy. The city budget should be used to support these projects if necessary. In addition, Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH) should take the lead in purchasing large numbers of nearby villas to use as relocation housing. An active policy is needed.

-What do you think should be done with the Han River Bus and Seoullo 7017?

▲I believe they should be restructured. Seoullo 7017 should be revamped in connection with the development of the Seoul Station area. The area in front of Seoul Station can be developed vertically, with 5 to 10 underground floors. If an elevated structure remains above, it hampers development. I believe the Han River Bus has already been evaluated as a transportation option. However, instead of simply abolishing it, we need to think more broadly about how to utilize the Han River. The Han River is a river comparable to the sea. It should be used as a space where young people can find new opportunities.

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