Oh Se-hoon says he has requested meeting with President Lee over real estate policy

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the National Assembly on Wednesday for the first time since winning the June 3 local elections, making no effort to conceal his concerns about the Lee Jae-myung administration's real estate policy direction.

Speaking at a forum on the June 3 local elections hosted by the Future Innovation Forum of the Republic of Korea at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, Oh said the government's push to strengthen capital gains and property holding taxes was taking shape, and that tax policy was "almost 100 percent" within the central government's discretion. "There is almost no policy tool available to the Seoul Metropolitan Government to respond," he said, "but since there is still time before that direction becomes reality, I have already submitted a request for a meeting with President Lee."

He added that he had not yet received a confirmed date for the meeting. "If the opportunity arises, I will fully convey my views to the president," he said, and went on to say he would make clear how the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Seoul Metropolitan Government differ in their perspectives, and "convey in sufficient depth that there are opposing views on the overall policy approach and direction."

Oh also used the lecture to lend indirect weight to calls for People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok to step down in an orderly manner, while nudging senior party figures to take a more active role.

On the question of Jang's future, Oh said, "Nothing good comes from rushing," adding, "We even held an election in the middle of that controversy — there is no need to shed blood over this."

He said he had watched an interview Wednesday with floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik, whose answers reflected concern that moving too fast could make things harder. "I broadly agree," Oh said. "It is not as if there is an election the day after tomorrow. Change and reform that rush unnecessarily and produce only side effects are not what the party's entire membership wants."

He said consensus among Assembly lawmakers was beginning to build from the ground up, and that it would be wise to allow sufficient time. "I presume — perhaps presumptuously — that the time has come for senior lawmakers to play a weighty role," he said.

On the broader state of party politics, Oh said South Korea was an "overly politicized society." "Even when a random assault occurs, the party leader gets involved," he said. "It would be good if we moved toward healthy policy competition, but unnecessary distortions arise, excessive conflict follows, and politicians end up branded as brawlers."

He recalled thinking as a first-term lawmaker that party leaders might not even be necessary — that floor leaders could handle legislative work on their own. "In the United States and around the world, parties are legislature-centered, with no separate party leader; the floor leader drives politics," he said. "Moving to a legislature-centered party structure would eliminate unnecessary conflict."

On the mood among voters, Oh said the June 3 elections were "clearly a loss" compared with the 2022 local elections. "But after this election, there are many analyses showing that young people have turned back toward us," he said.

He also noted that the party had been at a significant disadvantage in online campaigning, but said a comparison of Instagram Reels figures showed the party had "completely overcome" the strategic gap it had long faced against the Democratic Party of Korea.

About 30 lawmakers attended the lecture, including floor leader Jeong, filling the venue to capacity. Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon had been expected to attend but did not, reportedly due to a schedule in Busan.

Asked whether he had missed Han for a second consecutive day at the Assembly, Oh was brief. "I met him about three times before the election," he said. "Coming to the National Assembly two days in a row is a bit of a burden for a Seoul mayor — there is that aspect to it."