Oh Se-hoon and Han Dong-hoon criticize "low-level politics" and "backsliding" in attack on Jang Dong-hyuk

[Financial News] Oh Se-hoon, Seoul Metropolitan City Mayor, and Han Dong-hoon, an independent lawmaker, met on the 25th and stressed "addition politics" and "conservative reconstruction." They also took aim at Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, who has moved to regain control of the party through harsh disciplinary action against lawmakers and a sweeping replacement of local party committee chairs. As two of the most prominent potential figures in the conservative opposition, their alignment is drawing attention over whether it could weaken Jang's position.
The Korea Future Innovation Forum, chaired by lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon, held a seminar titled "The United States' Grand Strategy and South Korea's Choice" at the National Assembly Members' Office Building that day. The forum discussed major international issues, including the strategic rivalry between the United States and China and the tariff shock from U.S. President Donald Trump's second term. It also examined shifting peace and security concerns, such as the possible reduction of the ROK-US Combined Military Exercise and the prospect of a North Korea–United States Singapore Summit. In addition, participants agreed that the Lee Jae-myung administration's diplomacy has failed to exert influence and that South Korea is instead being sidelined by Korea passing.
The seminar drew significant attention because it was the first time Oh and Han had met in about two months, since June. During their remarks, they did not hesitate to voice concerns about the People Power Party under Jang's leadership. Kim, who chairs the forum, opened by saying, "There was a time when I thought a party centered on its members was the right path, but it has become too one-sided," adding, "Shouldn't we shift the axis toward the people?"
Oh and Han have recently criticized Jang's disciplinary politics and his attempt to replace local party committee chairs. Speaking to reporters during the seminar, Oh said, "There is a sequence to everything, and there is an appropriate time for each thing," adding, "At this point, we need to rally all our efforts to criticize the government's real estate policy and other issues, and to gather energy through the politics of unity." He added, "As I always emphasize, we need addition politics and multiplication politics. In other words, we need leadership that can create the synergy of unity." On the harsh disciplinary action against lawmakers Cho Kyung-tae, Kwon Young-jin, Seo Beom-soo, and Jin Jong-oh, he said, "Ethics committee politics is the lowest form of politics," and urged the party to return to the opposition's true role of checking an overreaching administration through dialogue and unity.
Han said, "In the end, diplomacy can also be corrected only when conservative politics is rebuilt and properly checks the Lee Jae-myung administration," adding, "Kim's words that we need to move toward the people really resonate deeply with me," in a roundabout criticism of Jang's leadership. He continued, "Under Jang's leadership, the party has backslid and is heading down the path of becoming a private party," and added, "It is regrettable that we cannot fulfill the conservative mission of stopping the Democratic Party administration." On the re-election of local party committee chairs, he said it would be "a betrayal of the will of supporters and the public."
[email protected] Lee Hae-ram Reporter