Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate for Seoul mayor, criticized his opponent Jung Won-o of the Democratic Party on May 28, stating, "It is wrong to classify unfavorable remarks as negative campaigning." This comment was directed at Jung's claim that he refused to participate in a debate due to negative attacks from Oh's camp.
During a press conference held at his campaign office in Gwancheol-dong, Oh expressed concern over Jung's approach to the election, saying, "Jung's mindset toward the election is not appropriate." He emphasized that elections are fundamentally about verification, which involves both positive and negative aspects to assess a candidate's capabilities. He noted that how candidates respond to unfavorable circumstances is also a crucial evaluation factor.
Oh defined negative campaigning as "creating false facts to attack others" and asserted that his campaign has never made baseless claims but has only sought clarifications regarding past actions. He criticized Jung for misclassifying legitimate inquiries as negative attacks, stating, "It is wrong to label something as negative just because it is unfavorable to oneself."
He further remarked, "A candidate who refuses to participate in a debate because they classify requests for clarification as negative is likely unprecedented worldwide," adding that the more important the issue, the more it is the candidate's responsibility to address it directly to voters, rather than relying on their campaign or spokesperson.
Oh also rebuked Jung's accusations of his campaign engaging in smear tactics, asserting that Jung has consistently resorted to slander against him since the beginning of the election, despite proposing a policy-focused campaign without negativity.
In response to Jung's heightened criticism regarding safety concerns, Oh firmly countered, stating, "I was the one who led the installation of CCTV at construction sites commissioned by the city and the 100% installation of screen doors in subways." He reiterated his commitment to prioritizing safety through policy development and execution.
Regarding a recent poll showing both candidates tied in support, Oh stated he would not be swayed by the results and would continue to campaign with a challenger’s mindset until the election's conclusion.
He acknowledged the polling results as "anticipated" but maintained that he would approach the campaign with the mentality of being 3-5% behind, vowing to work tirelessly until the end. He expressed confidence in the support of Seoul citizens, stating, "I have done my best over the past five years, focusing on policies."
A survey conducted by Munhwa Ilbo and Embrain Public from May 26 to 27 revealed that both Jung and Oh received 39% support from 805 Seoul voters. The gap, which was in double digits at the start of the election, has significantly narrowed. The poll was conducted via mobile phone interviews, with a response rate of 14.0% and a margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. For more details, refer to the Central Election Survey Deliberation Committee's website.
Oh's campaign is currently considering resuming active campaigning. Following the collapse of the Seosomun overpass on May 26, he suspended his campaign activities to focus on recovery efforts and response measures. Since the incident, he has visited the site four times and paid respects to the victims without prior media notification on May 27.
During the press conference, Oh stated, "It is premature to discuss resuming campaign activities while the victims have not yet been laid to rest," but acknowledged the importance of the election and indicated he is contemplating his next steps.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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