People Power Party members stage mass walkout over Ulsan mayor's answers

Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-uk takes an oath at the start of the National Assembly's 2026 national audit of Ulsan City Hall on Wednesday. [Ulsan City]
Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-uk takes an oath at the start of the National Assembly's 2026 national audit of Ulsan City Hall on Wednesday. [Ulsan City]

The National Assembly's audit of Ulsan City Hall descended into chaos Wednesday after all People Power Party lawmakers on the administrative affairs committee walked out over what they called the mayor's disrespectful answers.

The audit, held at the main conference room on the second floor of Ulsan City Hall and chaired by Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Yeong-jin of Suwon, drew fire over Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-uk's personal YouTube broadcasting activities, among other issues.

PPP lawmaker Seo Myeong-ok of Seoul's Gangnam-gu said the mayor had threatened on YouTube to "smash the head of a terrestrial broadcaster's director," warned local newspaper publishers at a meeting that he would "review advertising budgets," and mocked PPP city council members on YouTube as "lowly vermin," treating them as objects of ridicule rather than partners in governance.

Seo also took issue with the mayor's stance on the government's plan to merge four port authorities — in Busan, Incheon, Ulsan and Yeosu-Gwangyang. "Every other local government, regardless of party, has come out against the merger, yet the Ulsan mayor said he would not oppose it," she said, arguing that Ulsan should resist the plan because its port authority is the only one of the four operating in the black.

Mayor Kim pushed back, citing Article 7 of the Act on the Inspection and Investigation of State Administration, which defines the scope of auditable matters, and said the issues raised "are neither delegated national affairs nor national budget projects."

Fellow PPP lawmaker Joo Ho-young of Daegu's Suseong-gu also took aim at Kim's practice of broadcasting on his personal YouTube channel from 8:30 to 9 a.m., saying that while the mayor had applied for permission to run a side activity, "Ulsan City's material and human resources must not be used for the broadcasts."

Joo also questioned the mayor's decision to appoint three celebrities who had publicly supported President Lee Jae Myung and the Democratic Party as Ulsan promotional ambassadors on Oct. 1, saying many residents found the choices "strange" because the appointees were not figures people would automatically associate with Ulsan.

Kim defended both decisions, saying his YouTube activity was "an extension of mayoral duties to communicate with citizens" and that the promotional ambassadors were chosen for their ability to publicize the 2028 International Garden Exposition nationwide.

Kim then cited Article 7 again, adding: "I do not believe YouTube activities fall within the scope of the national audit. I would be grateful if admonishments and scrutiny were limited to matters that are actually subject to audit."

Joo responded that "everything is a matter of attitude," saying Kim's remarks came across as arrogant and could give others the impression he thought he was better than everyone else. Joo then left the room, and the rest of the PPP lawmakers followed, walking out en masse over the mayor's conduct.

Committee Chair Kim Yeong-jin urged the mayor to adjust his responses, noting that the audit covers matters involving local allocation taxes and various national subsidies, meaning lawmakers' questions "comprehensively encompass individual issues" within that scope.

The audit also addressed a range of other issues: PPP lawmaker Kim Ye-ji raised concerns about support for people with mental illness and developmental disabilities following the voluntary closure of Ulsan's Bangudae Hospital; Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Sang-sik of Yongin questioned Ulsan's strategy for industrial AI transformation; and fellow Democratic Party lawmaker Yun Geon-yeong of Seoul's Guro-gu pressed the city on whether to keep the Taehwaru Skywalk.

Democratic Party lawmaker Yang Bu-nam of Gwangju's Seo-gu raised the impending closure of the World Food Culture Center; Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker Jeong Chun-saeng questioned Ulsan's last-place national ranking on integrated care services; Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Gwang-hui of Cheongju asked about contracts awarded to a specific company linked to the "Geumsemhoe," a group reportedly formed by supporters of former Ulsan Mayor Kim Du-gyeom; and PPP lawmaker Park Deok-heum of Goesan-gun pressed the city on securing fire department funding.


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