Democratic Party Seoul mayor candidate holds joint press conference with 25 district mayor candidates; says unified ticket needed for Lee government to work as 'one team' with Seoul
Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for Seoul mayor, said Tuesday he was confident of winning Wednesday's election and securing "new leadership," even as he acknowledged the race would be close.
Speaking at a joint press conference at the National Assembly alongside the party's 25 district mayor candidates, Jung said the contest would be tight "as predicted," but added that citizens want "to feel the effectiveness of governance through a mayor who gets things done."
"The June 3 election is not simply about choosing one person as Seoul mayor — it is an election to give strength to the Lee Jae-myung government," he said. "Seoul must stand together so that people's lives are protected and South Korea can leap forward again."
He said policy changes at the national level must reach down to neighborhood streets and translate into relief for ordinary people. "That is how we can resolve, one by one, the worries over housing, commuting, business and caregiving," he said. "We can change the anxiety around housing, jobs and safety, and protect citizens' lives — their families' happiness, their children's futures and a secure old age."
Jung urged voters to support the full Democratic Party ticket. "The Democratic Party's district mayor candidates must be elected together for the Lee Jae-myung government and Seoul to move as one team," he said, appealing to voters to cast their ballots for him and the party's 25 district mayor candidates on Wednesday.
Asked how he would communicate with district mayors if elected, Jung said the relationship between the city and its districts had not improved since local elections began. "Each district office has grown and has outstanding capabilities, but their roles and authority remain limited," he said. "Expect a Seoul where each of the 25 districts exists not as a subdivision of the city but as a city in its own right."
Turning to his rival, People Power Party candidate Oh Se-hoon, Jung said Oh appeared intent on "finishing the campaign with negative attacks and smear tactics." He said voters would render their own judgment on a candidate who had relied on attacking his opponent rather than projecting confidence. "It was not that I had nothing negative to say about Oh — I simply chose to compete on policy and give citizens the right basis for their decision," Jung said.
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