Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Holds Series of Meetings with Senior PPP Lawmakers, Strengthening Party Influence

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has been holding a series of meetings with senior lawmakers from the People Power Party (PPP), signaling a move to strengthen his influence within the party.
Following a dinner with five-term lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon on July 19, Mayor Oh held a breakfast meeting today, July 21, with five-term lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun.
After the breakfast meeting at Seoul City Hall, Representative Yoon told reporters, "We mainly discussed overall party issues and the reform of the National Election Commission." He added, "I suggested creating a white paper regarding the June 3 local elections, and the Mayor expressed his agreement. I also proposed organizing a forum for dialogue with young people, to which he responded positively."
As Mayor Oh successfully defended Seoul in the June 3 local elections by distancing himself from Representative Jang Dong-hyeok, and given the ongoing debate within the party regarding the leadership's future, it was speculated that the issue of the party's leadership might have been discussed during the meeting.
Representative Yoon stated, "I shared various thoughts regarding the leadership issue. While the Mayor did not make any direct comments, he naturally expressed his agreement with the need for the party to pursue change and innovation."
He further added, "I shared my views on abolishing the party leader system, transitioning to a party-centered parliamentary structure, and institutionalizing the public nomination system. The Mayor asked me to fulfill my role as a lawmaker representing the metropolitan area, noting that there is a lack of lawmakers in the metropolitan region who can appeal to the 'Jung-Su-Cheong' demographic (those in the political center, metropolitan areas, and the youth)."
It is reported that during his dinner with Representative Kim on July 19, Mayor Oh also engaged in a broad discussion on political issues rather than focusing on a specific agenda.
Mayor Oh previously held meetings with floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik and four-term lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo on July 9. He also invited lawmakers from the three parliamentary standing committees—the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, the Public Administration and Security Committee, and the Gender Equality Committee—to his official residence for dinner, as they had supported the ruling party's efforts during the local election period.
Mayor Oh is also reportedly scheduled to meet with former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min later this month.
Having recently raised his profile by attending a Cabinet meeting presided over by President Yoon Suk Yeol, Mayor Oh appears to be focusing on consolidating his position within the party through these continued meetings with key figures.
A lawmaker close to the Mayor remarked, "Considering the composition of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, Mayor Oh needs allies. At the same time, as his election victory helped revive the party, there is a need for a consensus on the party's future direction." The lawmaker added, "As a five-term mayor, Oh feels a sense of responsibility toward the party, and the party also needs to effectively manage the asset that is Oh Se-hoon."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.