▲ Oh Se-hoon
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has publicly criticized the leadership of the People Power Party (PPP), including party leader Jang Dong-hyuk, regarding the recent shortage of ballot papers.
Mayor Oh released a video statement expressing his position on the People Power Party's decision to file an appeal for a re-election.
"Any citizen watching this would likely guess that the intentions are not pure," Oh said. "It appears that many perceive this as a highly political maneuver, conscious of the party's shaky leadership and weak internal standing."
He continued, "For a matter of such gravity, a consensus should have been reached through a general meeting of lawmakers first, but the leadership decided unilaterally. Furthermore, the floor leader currently holds a different opinion. If there is no unified view even within the leadership, then there is a problem with the decision-making process," he pointed out.
He emphasized, "I do not believe it is appropriate to politically exploit the aspirations of young people and many citizens for the guarantee of voting rights and a normal election."
Mayor Oh also posted a message on Facebook titled, "The party leadership must stop using slogans for self-preservation and listen to the stern voices of the people," further distancing himself from the party leadership.
"What the party must do now is conduct a thorough investigation, punish those responsible, and fundamentally reform the election system," Oh stated. "Yet, Representative Jang Dong-hyuk is driving the entire party toward a consuming 'demand for a re-election'."
He added, "The pure aspirations of the 20s and 30s generation who took to the streets to set democracy right must not be consumed as fuel for a specific politician's political survival. Young people did not come to the plaza to serve as someone's political shield," he argued.
"I hope the upcoming general meeting of lawmakers will serve as an opportunity to show the right direction for the People Power Party," he stressed. "Showing the competence of a responsible political party, rather than the slogans of a specific individual, is the only way to properly respond to the public's expectations, which are reflected in party approval ratings."
The People Power Party held an emergency Supreme Council meeting yesterday, convened by Representative Jang Dong-hyuk, regarding the ballot paper shortage. The party decided to file election appeals for six regions where the shortage occurred, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, Ulsan, Busan, and Gwangju/South Jeolla.
After the meeting, Representative Jang wrote on Facebook, "The goal is clear. A nationwide re-election. The appeal is just the beginning."
However, some within the party are voicing opposition, labeling the leadership's decision as "arbitrary."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.