Seoul mayor’s signature policies face repeated setbacks in opposition-led city council

Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s priority projects are running into one obstacle after another at Seoul’s city council, where the Democratic Party holds 80 of the 118 seats. In preliminary committee reviews, lawmakers cut funding for several projects from Oh’s ninth elected term, creating the first major budget clash between the newly reconfigured council and the Seoul government.

The Urban Planning and Balancing Committee on the 3rd eliminated all 5.625 billion won allocated for the “Youth AI Growth Zone” program. Oh announced the project on July 2 as his first youth policy of the new term. It would provide free generative AI vouchers and practical training to 500,000 people aged 19 to 29.

“

The reason the 5.6 billion won supplementary budget for this project was entirely cut is that the review revealed it to be fundamentally inadequate.

Democratic lawmakers on the committee said the project was fundamentally inadequate. They questioned the basis for selecting 500,000 young people and said the policy demand, expected impact, project scale, training plan and required preliminary procedures had not been properly prepared.

The Democratic Party is seeking to redirect the money to restore a tailored public employment program for people with severe disabilities. The program treats activities such as disability-awareness work, cultural and artistic projects, and rights advocacy as paid labor. Seoul ended it in late 2023, saying activity had focused too heavily on rallies and demonstrations. All 80 Democratic council members jointly sponsored an ordinance to restore it.

“

It could be seen as political obstruction of the core projects of the ninth elected term, beyond policy scrutiny.

The council’s Planning and Economy Committee also cut 1.2024 billion won for local outdoor food markets and other nighttime economy projects, along with funds for Seoul Film Center nighttime cinema and food programs and day-and-night cultural events in G Valley. The committee’s cuts tied to the nighttime economy exceeded 1.3 billion won. A Democratic lawmaker also proposed limiting financial support for the health platform Wrist Doctor 9988 to registered Seoul residents, against the city government’s position that the existing rules should remain for residents of the wider capital region.

Further disputes are expected during next year’s main budget review, including over financial support for the Hangang Bus. The preliminary cuts still require review by the budget committee and full council, leaving room for negotiations. A Seoul official called the moves potentially political obstruction and said the government would continue explaining the projects and seeking restoration of the necessary funds.

“

As reviews by the budget committee and the full council remain, we will fully explain the projects’ need and effectiveness and continue negotiating so that the necessary budgets can be restored reasonably.