Seoul's first five-term mayor greets citizens outside City Hall on Thursday morning, pledging to push for GTX-A August opening
Seoul Mayor-elect Oh Se-hoon said he would return to work immediately, pledging to address the missing rebar issue at GTX-A Samsung Station as his first order of business. "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work for another four years," he said. "There is much to catch up on, so I will get straight back to work."
Oh made the remarks outside Seoul City Hall at around 10:30 a.m. Thursday, bowing to citizens gathered to greet him. "A lot has happened even though the campaign period was not long," he said. He added that he would prioritize the GTX-A Samsung Station rebar issue upon returning to his duties, saying it had been distorted during the campaign and that he would conduct a thorough review to ensure the line could open in mid-August.
"I am deeply grateful to the citizens of Seoul for entrusting the city to me again," he said, and went on to say he would work with all his energy to build a Seoul that its residents can be proud of and a healthier city.
Stepping inside City Hall, Oh was greeted warmly by staff. "I had moments when I thought I might not be coming back, so I am overjoyed to return after 38 days," he told employees. He said he was especially moved by messages from staff saying he would be a better mayor than his opponent. "Being sincerely evaluated by the people I work with felt just as meaningful as winning the election," he said, and went on to say he hoped everyone could come together to build a warmer, healthier Seoul. "Thank you so much for welcoming me back so warmly," he added.
Oh secured a historic fifth term as Seoul mayor in the June 3 local elections in a dramatic comeback. He had trailed Democratic Party of Korea candidate Jeong Won-oh throughout polling, exit surveys and the vote count, before pulling ahead for the first time at around 7:15 a.m. Thursday — some 13 hours into the count. With 97.70 percent of ballots tallied, Oh held 48.94 percent of the vote against Jeong's 48.34 percent, a margin of 0.6 percentage points, according to the National Election Commission.
ikson@heraldcorp.com
