Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Wednesday stressed the need for conservative innovation and unity to win the June 3 local elections, saying "Conservatism without innovation will crumble again, and conservatism without unity can never win."
Oh posted a message titled "I Will Overwhelmingly Complete the Seoul We Rebuilt" on his Facebook page. "We must change more and unite more. Only then can we win. Only then can we defend Seoul," he wrote.
"Five years ago today, citizens made the decisive choice to end a decade of darkness under Democratic Party governance and set Seoul right," Oh said. "It was the day that gave conservatives, who had suffered defeat after defeat, another chance — and a turning point when conservatives embarked on the path of rebuilding."
"I have never once set down the solemn sense of responsibility that came before any celebration the moment victory was confirmed," he added.
Oh said he had "ended the era in which left-wing vested interests controlled city governance through the 'Setting Seoul Right' initiative and restored the principles of administration that had collapsed." However, he warned, "Right now, arrogance and a lack of common sense — rushing toward 'Park Won-soon Season 2' without a shred of responsibility or shame — are rearing their heads again."
"There is no reflection on past failures, only an obsession with reclaiming power," he said. "Can we really entrust citizens' lives to such people? This is no one else's fault. It is because we did not innovate enough and we did not earn deeper trust."
Regarding the upcoming local elections, Oh emphasized that they represent "a critical crossroads that will determine whether we complete the transformation that put Seoul back on track or return to the stagnation of the past." He added, "The opportunity citizens entrusted to conservatives five years ago — now we must prove it with an overwhelming completion."