On April 30, a day before Labor Day, Seoul mayoral candidates Jeong Won-oh of the Democratic Party and Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party released labor pledges as they sought support from workers.
Jeong said, “If Seoul runs on labor, the city government must also take responsibility for the time of working citizens,” as he unveiled proposals centered on expanding flexible work arrangements and supporting paid sick leave for freelancers.
Under the banner of “Seoul, a special city that respects labor, rebuilt with the voices of working citizens,” Jeong said his plan aims to improve work-life balance and strengthen the right to rest when sick. He pledged to expand flexible work options — including work-from-home, remote work and staggered hours — as part of a “30-minute commute city” initiative, and to introduce paid sick leave for vulnerable workers such as freelancers and the self-employed.
Jeong said May 1 would be “the first day to greet the holiday under the name ‘Labor Day’ for the first time in 63 years,” explaining why he chose to announce the pledges then.
He also said he visited the Sinjeong rail depot and the Yangcheon public bus garage early that morning to meet subway and bus workers, and later laid flowers at a Jeon Tae-il statue near Cheonggyecheon. “I will carry the labor sites I met at dawn today and Jeon Tae-il’s dream into Seoul’s policies,” he said.
Oh visited the Gasan Digital Complex (G-Valley) in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, where he had lunch with young office workers and heard their concerns, while releasing his labor pledges in writing.
“Your ordinary day, lived diligently, is Seoul’s future,” Oh told workers, adding, “I will work to build workplaces where the value of labor is respected and fairness and coexistence are firmly established.”
Oh’s proposals focused on strengthening the safety net for vulnerable workers and addressing on-the-job problems. He pledged “hospital living-cost support” to ease financial strain during hospitalization, expanded tailored health checkups for workers in health blind spots, and a safety support system for small workplaces.
He also pledged to expand late-night “owl bus” routes to help about 200,000 late-night workers in their 20s and 30s, and to provide once-a-year support for psychological counseling services and the cost of special health screenings for night work. He said the city would newly introduce a “late-night in-home caregiving service” for families facing care gaps because a guardian works nights.
“Seoul must be a strong fence so the vulnerable can stand back up without despair,” Oh said. “I will 반드시 resolve the reality of not being able to rest when sick and the problem of not being able to focus at work because of caregiving worries, and make this a city where labor is respected.”
The two candidates also continued sparring over real estate policy. In a statement, Jeong’s camp said Oh’s side blames a housing supply cliff on former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, but argued the real cause was that residents lifted redevelopment district designations made indiscriminately during Oh’s time as mayor. Jeong’s camp added, “Seoul citizens gave Oh four chances, but all that came back was a loud, empty cart.”
Oh’s camp again raised controversy over remarks by President Lee Jae-myung about abolishing the long-term holding special deduction. Asked about the deduction while presenting his second pledge, Oh said, “Even the Democratic Party says it has never discussed it at the party level, but Jeong is taking the same position as the president.” He added, “I have serious doubts whether, as a Seoul mayoral candidate, he can ease anxiety about an issue many Seoul citizens are concerned about,” escalating his criticism.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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