[2026 Audit] Hangang Bus Kickback Allegations; Oh Sehoon: "Will Request an Investigation if Necessary"

Seoul Metropolitan Government Audit Sees Clash Over Hangang Bus Kickback Allegations
Oh Sehoon: "Ordered Rigorous Investigation... Thorough Probe Underway"

Allegations of kickbacks related to the Hangang Bus were raised during the Seoul Metropolitan Government audit. Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon said he would request an investigation if necessary.

At the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee’s audit of the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the morning of Oct. 15, allegations of kickbacks related to the Hangang Bus came under scrutiny. Rep. Park Jumin of the Democratic Party of Korea cited media reports that the Seoul Metropolitan Government had detected suspected kickbacks involving Gadeok Heavy Industries, the company building the Hangang Bus vessels, but had covered them up. He asked whether, given the circumstances, Mayor Oh might have been involved.

Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon is being asked by lawmakers to submit additional materials at the 2026 parliamentary audit of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, held at Seoul City Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul, on Oct. 15, 2026. Photo by Kang Jinhyeong

Mayor Oh said, “I received a report about this around September 2025 and instructed officials to investigate it so thoroughly that they would prepare a request for an investigation.” He added, “We also considered requesting an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection to conduct an objective audit of the overall situation.”

He continued, “In fact, before requesting an investigation, we first proceeded with a request for an audit, as we believed the Board of Audit and Inspection would examine the allegations as well. However, the Board dismissed the audit request, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Audit Committee is now conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. We plan to request an investigation if necessary.”

The People Power Party pushed back, saying the Democratic Party’s allegations were being blown out of proportion. Rep. Kwon Young-jin of the People Power Party said the public could misunderstand if suspicions that contract payments between companies may have gone to an SH Corporation official were escalated into allegations that Mayor Oh accepted bribes. “I hope people will refrain from making exaggerated allegations,” he said.

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