Early voting for Seoul mayoral by-election starts off

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s Park Young-sun and the main opposition People Power Party (PP)’s Oh Se-hoon continued their campaign trail on Thursday by targeting young voters and visiting around the Gangbuk area, respectively – one day before an early voting starts for the upcoming Seoul Mayoral by-election on April 7.

Ruling party candidate Park made a tour around the northwest areas of the capital city including Mapo, Yangcheon, Yeongdeungpo and Gangseo District to win over the hearts of younger generations by releasing youth-targeted policy pledges. She talked of her half-price apartment offer during a stumping tour in Yangcheon District, saying, “It may be a financial burden on the shoulders of many young Seoul citizens even to buy a half-price apartment unit of around 70 square meters that costs around 200 million won. I’d like to put in place a system where young buyers pay only a tenth of a house price at first and they pay the rest little by little on a yearly basis just as they accrue shares on their home to completely own it.” Added to this, she released her plan to introduce a transit pass exclusive to young Seoul citizens with which they can get a 40 percent discount on bus and subway fares.

PPP’s candidate Oh visited around ruling party-leaned areas such as Seongbuk, Nowon, Dobong and Gangbuk districts to promote his development blueprints. Oh said in Gireum, Seongbuk District, that he will build an underground public space for subway transfer in Mia Samgeori just as COEX around Samseong Station in the Gangnam area. He also pledged to add access roads from and to Naebu Expressway and Bukbu Expressway. 　

Visiting the Gyeongchun Line Forest Park in Nowon District, Oh emphasized that the Moon Jae-in administration is to blame, saying that the Democratic Party of Korea’s candidate offers a transit fare discount to young voters who want to judge the current administration’s hypocrisy. “Who will ever give them forgiveness? They get me infuriated,” he added. “Please help me make sure that President Moon realizes his faults and the ruling party apologizes sincerely to the nation.”


Sung-Yeol Yoo ryu@donga.com · Sung-Hwi Kang yolo@donga.com