Seoul election rerun call sparks accusations of pressure on Mayor Oh

A call for a nationwide rerun of the recent local elections by the leader of the People Power Party has ignited a political spat, with the head of the Reform Party accusing the ruling party of attempting to force the Seoul mayor's resignation.

Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, asserted on July 7th that a rerun election is necessary for the entire country, including Seoul. He argued that public anger over the ballot shortage issue, which affected numerous polling stations, cannot be quelled by mere parliamentary investigations, special prosecutors, or minor changes within the election commission.

In response, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party, suggested on Facebook that Jang's demand for a rerun election in Seoul is a thinly disguised effort to pressure Mayor Oh Se-hoon to step down. Lee pointed out that the Seoul mayoral election was won by Oh Se-hoon and that the only ways to nullify such a victory would be for the defeated Democratic Party candidate to file a lawsuit or for Mayor Oh to resign, thereby triggering a by-election.

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If the ruling party tries to gloss over this by simply launching a parliamentary investigation, appointing a special prosecutor recommended by the ruling party, or replacing a few election commission officials, they will never be able to quell the public's fury that is burning like wildfire.

Lee sarcastically questioned if Jang was appealing to the opposing party to overturn Oh's victory through legal means. He then stated that if Oh were to resign, it would create an opportunity for a by-election, implying that Jang's call for a rerun effectively amounts to demanding Oh's resignation. Lee characterized such a move as "bad politics," especially if it targets the mayor directly.

Conservative commentator Cho Gab-je echoed Lee's sentiment on a radio show, questioning if Jang's call for a rerun was a way to ask Mayor Oh to step down. Cho suggested that if Jang harbored such intentions, he should be more direct. He also noted that Oh Se-hoon's victory, along with Han Dong-hoon's, represents significant assets for the conservative camp, implying that pushing for a rerun could be counterproductive or driven by internal party dynamics.

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Then the conclusion is one. Jang's call for a 'Seoul rerun election' is the same as demanding that 'Oh Se-hoon step down.' Is Jang's call for a rerun election a solicitation for Oh Se-hoon's resignation?