Seoul Mayoral Candidates Clash on Real Estate, Safety in Debate

Seoul's mayoral candidates traded sharp barbs over housing supply and public safety during a televised debate, just hours before early voting began for the June 3 local elections.

“

You promised to supply 70,000 units, but only 39,000 were commenced from 2022 to 2024.

Jeong Eun-oh of the Democratic Party and Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party, the frontrunners, engaged in a heated exchange. Jeong accused Oh of failing to meet his housing supply targets, stating that only 39,000 units were commenced between 2022 and 2024, less than half of his promise. Oh countered by criticizing Jeong's tenure as Seongdong District mayor, citing the cancellation of 389 redevelopment zones during the previous administration and alleging impropriety in the Haengdang 7-district redevelopment project.

The debate also touched upon safety concerns, particularly the alleged rebar omissions in the Samsung Station section of the GTX-A line. Jeong pressed Oh for a clear assessment of the issue, asking if it was ordinary or critical construction failure. Oh responded that it was a matter of whether repairs were possible and if the line was safe enough for test runs, a response Jeong characterized as a lack of safety awareness and pointed out Oh had not visited the construction site.

“

You canceled 389 redevelopment zones during the previous administration. We are restoring what you destroyed.

Candidates from smaller parties sought to differentiate themselves. Kim Jeong-cheol of the Reform Party presented a "Jeong Eun-oh's Debate Avoidance Calendar," accusing Jeong of evading discussions. Kwon Young-guk of the Justice Party, wearing a black tie and a mourning ribbon, directly confronted Oh Se-hoon about recent worker deaths in construction accidents, questioning his presence at the debate and criticizing both leading candidates for their development-focused, similar real estate pledges.

“

What is your stance on the rebar omissions at Samsung Station? Is it ordinary or critical construction failure?

Following the debate, Jeong expressed disappointment over the negative campaigning, while Oh called for further discussions, suggesting Jeong's reluctance to debate indicated something he wished to hide. Both candidates participated in early voting on May 29th, with both expressing confidence in their victory despite predicting a close race.

“

It's not a matter of simple yes or no, but whether it can be supplemented and if it's safe for test runs.