Seoul mayor signals intent to seek 5th term
Speaking at a press briefing marking the completion of the third year of his current term, Oh stated that his desire to continue serving as the mayor of Seoul has 'grown stronger' as he has gained more insight and experience in office.
'The more I work, the more I see in what needs to be done — things that weren't noticeable before are coming into view, and I find myself growing more eager to take on new challenges,' said Oh. 'In that sense, I plan to do my best for the remainder of my term and await the people's evaluation.'
Oh was elected as the mayor of Seoul in a special election in 2021 and reelected in 2022. This is his fourth term as mayor of Seoul, after previous election wins in 2006 and 2010. The next local elections, which are held every four years for governors, metropolitan and municipal mayors and provincial and municipal legislatures, are slated for June 3, 2026.
When asked how he thinks the public would assess his leadership, Oh emphasized the city's housing and transportation policies.
'In terms of housing, I have great confidence that we've made meaningful changes and stayed diligent in preparing for the city's future,' Oh said. Recalling the past decade, Oh described it as a 'dark age' for new housing development, citing stalled redevelopment and limited supply.
Referring to new urban planning projects being undertaken by the city government, Oh said that the city was able to secure a 'number of houses' for those seeking to settle down. 'Now it's time to ramp up the pace,' Oh added.
On transportation, Oh highlighted the success of the city's Climate Card initiative, a monthly transit pass offering unlimited travel on all public transportation within the capital city.
'With the Climate Card becoming very popular among those in Seoul, we heard that many people believe their lives have greatly improved thanks to this policy and we've received much positive feedback,' Oh said. 'Based on these kinds of evaluations, we'll watch to see what kind of feedback the people will provide.'
While Oh stopped short of confirming his candidacy, he hinted at firm intentions to run for a third term.
'With one year left in my term, the phrase 'wrap it up' is what I fear most,' added the Seoul mayor. 'From now on, it will be a time for a more intense execution of policies and taking on greater challenges. I will work to continue to bring the changes I started with the people of Seoul to bring greater and concrete results.'
Oh also touched on his decision not to run in last month's presidential election necessitated by the impeachment and removal of Yoon Suk Yeol, calling it a 'difficult but necessary choice.'
'It would be a lie to say I had no regrets,' he said. 'But I had deep doubts about whether my candidacy at the time would help the ruling party (at the time) truly reflect on its mistakes.'
Commenting on internal strife within the People Power Party, Oh pointed to declining approval ratings and criticized the party's inability to act on widely recognized issues.
'Everyone knows how the party must change, but no one seems to have the power to make it happen,' he said. 'Looking at the mainstream behavior within the party is deeply disappointing.'
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Seoul mayor signals intent to seek 5th term
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon indicated he is willing to seek a third consecutive term in next year's local elections, saying he will 'work even harder' during his remaining time and 'wait for the public's judgment.' Speaking at a press briefing marking the completion of the third year of his current term, Oh stated that his desire to continue serving as the mayor of Seoul has 'grown stronger' as he has gained more insight and experience in office. 'The more I work, the more I see in what needs to be done — things that weren't noticeable before are coming into view, and I find myself growing more eager to take on new challenges,' said Oh. 'In that sense, I plan to do my best for the remainder of my term and await the people's evaluation.' Oh was elected as the mayor of Seoul in a special election in 2021 and reelected in 2022. This is his fourth term as mayor of Seoul, after previous election wins in 2006 and 2010. The next local elections, which are held every four years for governors, metropolitan and municipal mayors and provincial and municipal legislatures, are slated for June 3, 2026. When asked how he thinks the public would assess his leadership, Oh emphasized the city's housing and transportation policies. 'In terms of housing, I have great confidence that we've made meaningful changes and stayed diligent in preparing for the city's future,' Oh said. Recalling the past decade, Oh described it as a 'dark age' for new housing development, citing stalled redevelopment and limited supply. Referring to new urban planning projects being undertaken by the city government, Oh said that the city was able to secure a 'number of houses' for those seeking to settle down. 'Now it's time to ramp up the pace,' Oh added. On transportation, Oh highlighted the success of the city's Climate Card initiative, a monthly transit pass offering unlimited travel on all public transportation within the capital city. 'With the Climate Card becoming very popular among those in Seoul, we heard that many people believe their lives have greatly improved thanks to this policy and we've received much positive feedback,' Oh said. 'Based on these kinds of evaluations, we'll watch to see what kind of feedback the people will provide.' While Oh stopped short of confirming his candidacy, he hinted at firm intentions to run for a third term. 'With one year left in my term, the phrase 'wrap it up' is what I fear most,' added the Seoul mayor. 'From now on, it will be a time for a more intense execution of policies and taking on greater challenges. I will work to continue to bring the changes I started with the people of Seoul to bring greater and concrete results.' Oh also touched on his decision not to run in last month's presidential election necessitated by the impeachment and removal of Yoon Suk Yeol, calling it a 'difficult but necessary choice.' 'It would be a lie to say I had no regrets,' he said. 'But I had deep doubts about whether my candidacy at the time would help the ruling party (at the time) truly reflect on its mistakes.' Commenting on internal strife within the People Power Party, Oh pointed to declining approval ratings and criticized the party's inability to act on widely recognized issues. 'Everyone knows how the party must change, but no one seems to have the power to make it happen,' he said. 'Looking at the mainstream behavior within the party is deeply disappointing.'
![[Lee Kyong-hee] Dr. Oh's surgical tool bags in Pyongyang](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F07%2F13%2Fnews-p.v1.20250713.aee1cf38ab284a1aa9616ebb70565675_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
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[Lee Kyong-hee] Dr. Oh's surgical tool bags in Pyongyang
As the Lee Jae Myung administration's North Korea policy stirred expectations of detente and potential geopolitical tremors, an obituary in a newspaper caught my eye last month. Dr. Oh Indong, a well-known Korean American orthopedic surgeon and unification activist, passed away on June 19 at his Pasadena, California, home at age 86. Oh enjoyed international acclaim for his expertise in artificial hip joint replacement. A former Harvard Medical School faculty member, he invented major improvements in joint replacement devices and prosthesis systems, obtaining 11 patents and winning prestigious research awards. Back in his homeland, though, his name is more often associated with the pro-unification movement. He was noted for his outspoken views about the division of the Korean Peninsula, including the role of the South Korea-US alliance as an impediment to unity, and possible solutions. How did Oh connect his successful medical career in America and his activism for Korean reunification? The long journey began in 1992, when Dr. Kwon Young-sei, then-president of the Korean American Medical Association, phoned with an audacious suggestion: 'Dr. Oh, let's go to Pyongyang!' Oh agreed immediately. 'Oh, yes! Of course, I'll go.' Oh soon was on his way to the North Korean capital with the KAMA delegation. Its goal was to lay the groundwork for academic exchange and medical support. The trip was before the so-called 'first North Korea nuclear crisis' led to the travel ban on American citizens to the North. 'Some of my colleague doctors who had privately visited North Korea to meet their relatives lamented the poor health care conditions there. I wanted to confirm the North's medical environment with my own eyes so I could do whatever was possible to be of some help,' Oh recalled in his 2010 book, 'My Surgical Tool Bags Left in Pyongyang.' Thus, as part of a five-member delegation, Oh arrived in Pyongyang on Oct. 10, 1992. That night, he could hardly sleep with curiosity and expectations. Though the sights in the city were unfamiliar, he found that people were not the 'red-faced demons to be defeated.' Contrary to the rhetoric heard in South Korea, the people north of the Demilitarized Zone displayed the same warmth. The realization came with a layer of sadness. That first sleepless night in Pyongyang, Oh did not think about returning many times in the years to come. But he realized that he needed to have a correct understanding of the causes of division and the state of confrontation. Upon returning from the trip, he began studying modern and contemporary Korean history, rediscovering national history and gaining a renewed awareness of division and animosity. In 1997, Oh launched Korea-2000, a non-governmental research council, along with like-minded Korean Americans. The group wrote recommendations on unification policy for the governments of both Koreas. In January 1998, Oh visited Seoul and Pyongyang to deliver the recommendations when hopes for reconciliation surged with the election of President Kim Dae-jung in the South and the ascension of Chairman Kim Jong-il in the North. Two years later, the leaders held a historic summit and signed the South-North Joint Declaration, also known as the June 15 Declaration. As co-chair of the US committee tasked with fulfilling the declaration, Oh strongly advocated the Korean initiative in cross-border exchanges and economic cooperation. He called for an 'economic community under a confederacy of two states,' pending peaceful reunification, and suggested joint management of the North's nuclear arsenal under the principles of nonproliferation and eventual denuclearization when reunification is achieved. 'Combine the South's mighty capital and technology and the North's abundant natural resources and human labor, drastically reducing the defense spending and military troops of both sides, then the confederacy will emerge as the world's fifth economic power with a population of 80 million within 10 years,' Oh reiterated. 'Unification will not mean the South's losses. It will be hugely profitable business for both Koreas.' For a genuine Korean initiative, Oh emphasized direct inter-Korean dialogue, rather than bilateral negotiations between the US and North Korea. In his article, 'Make South Korea the Real Party to North Korea,' published by the Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability in 2000, Oh argued that the US wartime operational control over the South Korean forces under the Combined Forces Command hinders North-South dialogue. Oh began his medical assistance in the North in 2009, with joint operations with orthopedists at Pyongyang Medical University. On each of his nearly annual visits thereafter, he brought a load of artificial joints and surgical instruments. He also helped the North produce expensive artificial joints and prosthesis systems to promote self-sufficiency. 'Each time, I left my bags behind in Pyongyang. It was my promise to return,' Oh wrote in his book. 'I believe that in every human affair, communication and trust are the keys to solution. Through my visits, I experienced building trust and camaraderie with North Koreans.' Oh believed that he was tasked with healing the ailing legs of the North and the South to enable the two halves to stand firmly together. His mission remains unfulfilled. His surgical tool bags in Pyongyang must be awaiting another visionary.
