Oh Se-hoon: "Declining Presidential Approval... A Cry of Desperation from Citizens"

Se-hoon Oh Holds Press Conference Marking 100 Days of His Ninth Term as Mayor
President's Approval Rating Declines... Failures in Housing and Stock Markets
Current Government's Real Estate Policy Called a 'Failure'... Pledges 310,000 New Housing

Oh Se-hoon, Mayor of Seoul, described the decline in President Lee Jaemyung's approval ratings for state affairs as “an appeal akin to the desperate cries of citizens.” He cited the failure to manage the housing market and the stock market as the main reasons. Mayor Oh pledged to achieve the supply of 310,000 housing units to stabilize the housing market.

On the morning of the 7th, Mayor Oh held a press conference at Seoul City Hall to mark the 100th day of the 9th popularly elected administration. He stated, “If people’s lives are tough and they are under economic pressure, it is difficult for the government to receive positive evaluations.”

Yonhap News

On this day, Mayor Oh pointed to anxiety in the housing and stock markets as causes for the current administration’s drop in support. He said, “When housing costs rise, disposable income falls, and as people spend more on housing, there is less money for living expenses." He emphasized, "A government that has failed to keep monthly rent and lease prices low cannot receive favorable evaluations."

Regarding the current administration’s approach to the housing market, Mayor Oh called it a "failure." He said, “Given Seoul’s structure, redevelopment projects inevitably account for the majority of housing supply. Over the past five years, we have made every effort to encourage the establishment of associations and to expedite project approvals.” Mayor Oh continued, “When I look back at what support the government has provided in these endeavors, I can only make a cold assessment.” He also criticized President Lee for emphasizing an increase in permits and construction starts on social media the previous day, saying, “Claiming that these results are solely due to the government’s so-called ‘speed drive’ does not add up.”

Mayor Oh also identified the government’s push for "prosecution reform" (the policy of excluding prosecutors from investigations) as a source of public anxiety. He remarked, “This has excluded well-trained investigative personnel from carrying out investigations,” and added, “As a result, the public is now gripped by anxiety.” He further criticized, “Checks and balances are necessary so that everyday crimes are handled fairly, but hostility towards the prosecution has led to the collapse of an essential axis of the national system.”

Regarding the second trial verdict for the alleged payment of public opinion poll costs (scheduled for the end of this month), Mayor Oh expressed, “I feel sorry,” but added, “The truth will be revealed.” He said, “Many pieces of evidence not uncovered in the first trial have now been submitted," adding, “The time is coming when the prosecutors and special prosecutors who conducted excessive investigations will have to take responsibility.”

Mayor Oh also promised to expedite the supply of housing units to stabilize the market. He stressed the need for proactive action from the government to achieve the goal of starting construction of 310,000 housing units by 2031 through acceleration of redevelopment projects. He stated, “We are constantly asking the government to ease various regulations,” and added, "Measures such as temporarily lifting restrictions on the transfer of association member status and increasing the floor area ratio for redevelopment must be implemented, to enhance the economic feasibility of redevelopment projects and to facilitate smooth participation.” However, he added that for existing association districts, minimizing conflict among residents was a key issue.

The slogan for the 9th popularly elected administration is “Quality of Life.” Mayor Oh presented plans to enhance the quality of life for Seoul citizens by fostering future industries for urban competitiveness and by recreating urban spaces. He said, “Through the Hangang Renaissance, green areas and leisure spaces were created along the riverside, which was once surrounded by concrete, transforming the Han River into a place for citizens. We are also promoting road undergrounding and the reorganization of the areas around Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo." He emphasized these efforts as key for city renaissance.

Mayor Oh’s governance philosophy of “walking with the vulnerable” will continue. He referenced the “Donghaeng Restaurant,” a city-designated private restaurant providing one free meal a day to residents of shantytowns, saying, “This protects the dignity and self-respect of users and brings vitality to local businesses as well.” He stressed, “Welfare cannot be assessed by the scale of support alone.” He added, “Even if a city grows, if citizens in difficulty cannot make a fresh start, that growth cannot belong to everyone. I will restore connections among people to make sure no one in Seoul is left alone in loneliness.”

Mayor Oh declared, “From now on, all policy outcomes will be judged by citizens’ real-life experiences,” and added, “In my final four years, not a single day will go to waste as I strive to make changes that citizens can feel in their everyday lives.”

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