Oh Se-hoon and Han Dong-hoon to appear at the National Assembly 30 minutes apart, with divergent visions for conservative realignment

[Financial News] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon will make separate public appearances at the National Assembly on the 3rd. The two agree on the need for unity and realignment in the conservative camp, but take different approaches to the scope and form of an alliance. Attention is focused on what political messages they will put forward.
According to political circles on the 2nd, Mayor Oh will attend a forum titled “Preserving World Heritage and the Future of Cities: Finding a Path to Coexistence” at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building at 10 a.m. on the 3rd. The event is jointly hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Chapter of the People Power Party and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and Rep. Jo Eun-hee, chair of the chapter, is reportedly helping support it.
Thirty minutes earlier, at 9:30 a.m., Han will hold a seminar in the same building with People Power Party lawmakers Kim Ki-hyun and Yoon Sang-hyun, titled “Party Reform: What and How?” The seminar will discuss nomination reform and party operations centered on members, among other issues. Attention is focused on whether Han will deliver a message that differs from the party-management approach of Jang Dong-hyeok’s leadership. No separate meeting between the two is planned.
Political circles interpret the two men’s activities in connection with efforts to realign the conservative camp. Mayor Oh, who was recently acquitted on appeal in a case involving alleged violations of the Political Funds Act, is emphasizing “addition politics,” which broadly embraces figures both inside and outside the party.
Mayor Oh said on the 31st of last month, “I can embrace everyone—not just Rep. Han but even Leader Jang Dong-hyeok. There is no one I cannot meet or join forces with.” He has left open the possibility of cooperating with the current leadership as well as forming an alliance with Han.
Han, by contrast, agrees on the need for an alliance but maintains that clarifying the conservative camp’s political direction should come first. On recent talk of an alliance with Mayor Oh, Han said, “We have never stopped working toward it,” adding, “An alliance for the people should be based on a cause, not personal ties.”
Among Han’s allies, too, there are signs of opposition to rallying forces first without clarifying positions on martial law, impeachment and election fraud. With Leader Jang drawing a line at Han’s return to the party, it remains unclear whether an alliance between the two will lead to actual political cooperation.
Leader Jang is also emphasizing unity centered on the party leadership. The previous day, he said, “At the necessary time, within the necessary scope and by the necessary means, the party leadership will bring together the will of party members and pursue unity and alliances.”
With next year’s People Power Party convention approaching, whether Mayor Oh’s broad alliance vision, Han’s call for a renewed political direction and Leader Jang’s proposal for leadership-centered unity can find common ground is emerging as a key factor for the conservative camp.

[email protected] Kim Kyung-min Reporter