DP’s 'Jung Wono Real Estate Pledges and Policies' Under Scrutiny... Park Jumin Says "Further Verification Needed" (Comprehensive)

Second Joint Debate for Democratic Party’s Main Primary Candidates
Park Jumin and Jeon Hyunhee Launch Coordinated Attack
"Jung Wono’s 'Practical Private Apartments at 70% of Market Price' Lack Feasibility"
"Runoff Needed to Ensure Decisive Victory"

As the main primary election for the Democratic Party’s Seoul mayoral candidate nears its end, leading candidate and former Seongdong District Chief Jung Wono is facing scrutiny over his real estate pledges and achievements in Seongdong District. Lawmakers Park Jumin and Jeon Hyunhee jointly criticized Jung’s pledges for being "unrealistic," with Park demanding further verification, stating, "The primary should not end with today's debate."

During the second joint debate for the Democratic Party’s main primary candidates held at the KBS studio in Yeouido, Seoul, on April 3, Jeon Hyunhee rigorously questioned Jung Wono’s proposal for "practical private apartments at 70% of the market price."

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Jeon Hyunhee (left), Jung Wono, and Park Jumin, Democratic Party candidates for Seoul mayor, pose for a commemorative photo at the second joint debate of the Democratic Party Seoul mayoral primary held at the KBS Studio in Yeouido, Seoul on April 3, 2026. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Division photo@yna.co.kr (end)

Jeon Hyunhee indirectly criticized Jung’s pledge by asking Park Jumin whether Jung’s proposal was realistic and whether it could be implemented within his term.

Regarding Jung’s pledge, Park Jumin said, "Isn’t this about turning public-owned and leased housing units into for-sale apartments? I have previously stated that this contradicts President Lee Jaemyung and the Democratic Party’s philosophy. Also, if the units are sourced from private projects, it would take 8 to 10 years, so there are doubts about whether the supply can be delivered within the term."

Jeon Hyunhee added, "The ‘practical’ model is about lowering prices by removing auxiliary facilities and only selling the building, but in reality, whether reconstruction association members would prefer such apartments is questionable. In fact, it is a so-called ‘practical’ model in name only, with no real feasibility." In response, Jung Wono countered, "It’s not about building apartments without auxiliary facilities, but rather, having the municipality provide the necessary infrastructure."

Park Jumin also criticized Jung’s pledge to supply 23,000 public rental housing units within his term, saying that this is less than the approximately 24,000 units (on an annual basis) proposed by Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon. He said, "Jung is pledging to supply less over four years than what Mayor Oh supplies in a single year. His real estate philosophy and policy direction differ from those of the Democratic Party." Jung Wono immediately responded, "I was only referring to youth housing. The total number of public rental units is 140,000. There seems to be a misunderstanding."

During the first round of the debate, Jung Wono focused on presenting his vision and garnering support from other candidates. However, in the second round, he actively refuted criticisms directed at him.

Jung’s achievements as district chief, as well as controversies from his tenure, also came under scrutiny. Jeon Hyunhee strongly criticized Jung’s "Success Bus" project as a "representative example of budget waste and a policy that violates the intent of legal and institutional frameworks." She argued, "The district chief has no authority over public transportation. Services for people with disabilities or those with limited mobility can be operated only in consultation with Seoul city, but the Success Bus is being run like a regular city bus, which is itself a legal violation."

Park Jumin joined in, saying, "I also have doubts. The Success Bus should be operated for transportation-isolated areas and, in such cases, it’s natural there would be a deficit due to insufficient passengers."

In response, Jung Wono countered, "About 3,000 people use the Success Bus every day, and after its introduction, village bus ridership increased by 7%. It’s extremely effective and is spreading not only across Seoul but even to regional areas."

Jeon Hyunhee also raised an issue regarding the reappointment of the head of Seongdong Culture Center, who was on trial for sexual crimes. She noted, "According to the fundraising status of the Seongdong Culture Center’s foundation, out of 1.45 billion won, about 1 billion won was contributed by Seongdong District. Among the board members is also the head of the administrative management bureau, who assists with all aspects of district administration." However, Jung Wono maintained, "Seongdong District can only audit and supervise the funds it provides; it has no general operational authority."

Park Jumin insisted that Jung’s pledges lack specificity and require further scrutiny. He said, "Jung’s policies are missing figures and timelines, which is quite frustrating and disappointing." In his final statement, he added, "Let me be direct. Please create a runoff. We need to scrutinize even more thoroughly to ensure a decisive victory."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.