The Democratic Party of Korea on Wednesday called on People Power Party candidate Oh Se-hoon to clarify whether he was aware of and concealed the rebar omission incident in the Samseong Station section of the Great Train Express (GTX)-A line.
"Contrary to Candidate Oh's claim that he learned of the incident through media reports, evidence is emerging that Oh had already recognized the situation last year and ordered a response," Democratic Party Floor Spokesperson Lee Joo-hee said in a written briefing.
Lee pointed out that "on November 11 last year, the day after the report from Hyundai Engineering & Construction, instructions issued under Candidate Oh's name were delivered to each department," asking, "Why is the Seoul Metropolitan Government unable to openly disclose the contents of this official document and instead concealing them?" She dismissed the possibility that the head of the Urban Infrastructure Management Headquarters, who reports directly to the mayor, had failed to report for five months, stating, "If he truly did not know, it is an administrative collapse and the height of incompetence; if he knew, it is intentional concealment."
Lee also noted that during the 2023 "boneless apartment" controversy, Oh had publicly pledged to film video footage of all construction processes. "Video footage capturing the rebar omission process in its entirety has been released. Did he fail to check it properly, or did he check it and cover it up?" she said, emphasizing that the Seoul Metropolitan Government also bears responsibility for the management and supervision of the inspection contractor.
"This incident is an organized cover-up to save Oh Se-hoon, leading from the inspection contractor's connivance, to the Seoul Metropolitan Government's concealment after recognizing the issue, to the report to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport only after Candidate Oh's suspension from duty," Lee said. "Either way, he is not qualified to serve as Seoul mayor, who is responsible for the lives of 10 million citizens."
