Democratic Party Seoul mayoral candidate Jung Won-oh campaigns outside Yeouido Station in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo district on May 26, while People Power Party Seoul mayoral candidate Oh Se-hoon visits Mangwon Market in Seoul’s Mapo district the same day. Photo by Asia Today
May 31 (Asia Today) -- The race for Seoul mayor is entering its final stretch as South Korea's ruling and opposition parties frame the contest as a key test of strength before Wednesday's nationwide local elections.
The Democratic Party is calling for voters to pass judgment on what it describes as 10 years of failed city government under People Power Party candidate Oh Se-hoon. The People Power Party is countering by portraying Democratic Party candidate Jung Won-oh as too closely tied to President Lee Jae-myung to defend Seoul's interests independently.
The June 3 local elections will choose 16 mayoral and gubernatorial posts, 227 local government heads and about 4,000 local council members nationwide, with Seoul among the most closely watched battlegrounds.
Jung's campaign said Sunday it would focus its final strategy on ending what it called "Oh Se-hoon's Seoul City government insensitive to safety." Lee In-young, standing chair of Jung's campaign committee, said the campaign would press two messages: choosing Jung to support the Lee administration and ending what it called Oh's weak record on public safety.
