Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon. Busan Mayor Park Hyeong-joon. (Photo: Seoul Metrolpolitan Governmant)

Busan Mayor Park Hyeong-joon. (Photo: Busan Metrolpolitan City)

Opposition People Power Party (PPP) candidates Oh Se-hoon and Park Hyeong-joon swept the Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections over their ruling party opponents by large margins.

Oh defeated Park Young-sun, the candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and a former member of President Moon Jae-in’s cabinet, by more than 18 percentage points, according to voting outcomes released by the National Election Commission.

Park Hyeong-joon, also on a ticket from the opposition PPP, routed Kim Young-choon, his ruling party opponent. Park cruised to a landslide victory despite the central government’s all-out efforts to back the ruling party candidate.

The government and the National Assembly, dominated by DPK, approved a special law on the construction of a new international airport on Gadeok Islet in support of Kim in the time of the Busan by-election.

The by-elections, held on April 7, took place to fill the vacuum left by former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, who committed suicide after being accused of sexual harassment last year. Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don was also accused of sexual misconduct.

The by-elections were seen as a referendum on President Moon’s final year in office and his government.

The opposition party candidates’ sweeping victories dealt a severe blow to President Moon’s presidency and the ruling party for their policy failures, including fumbled attempts to tame real estate prices.

In particular, voters in their 20s and 30s cast votes against ruling party candidates in doves. They offered full support to help President Moon come to power four years ago. New Seoul Mayor Oh’s comeback came after 10 years of hard struggles.

Oh’s victory came as a result of a precarious and tumultuous process. He overcame a “death match” with Ahn Cheol-soo, a big shot politician from the People’s Party, after beating Nah Kyung-won in an in-house party competition.

Oh’s process of selecting a sole opposition candidate with Ahn not only played a part in the victory of Oh and the opposition PPP, but it also is expected to influence the presidential election slated for next Spring.

Ahn promised to have his party integrated with PPP before squaring off Oh prior to the Seoul mayoral by-election.

Oh served as Seoul Mayor for about five years between 2006 and 2011 before leaving midway through his second term after clashing with the opposition-dominated City Council over their introduction of free school lunches for all students.

He won a sweeping victory this time in a political landscape, different from that of his previous mayoral job.

A majority of the Seoul Metropolitan Council and 24 ward chiefs, except the head of the Seocho Ward, are from the ruling party.

It remains to be seen whether new Mayor Oh would carry out his campaign pledges. Oh showed his determination to promote cooperation from the ruling party.

“Starting from today, Seoul City will work hard again. I’ll really try hard to help Seoulites who are struggling from COVID-19 and from other economic hardships. I’d really like to help in some way,” he said.

Mayor Oh said he will break down housing regulations through a “speedy housing supply project.” He is planning to ease height regulations for Seoul apartments and expand commercial zones outside the richest districts of Gangnam, Seocho and Songpa. New Seoul Mayor Oh is expected to stage an uphill battle in the implementation of his policies down the road.

Oh ordered a review of an ongoing project to face-lift Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul, but he met severe opposition from the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

Chairman Kim In-ho of the Seoul Metropolitan Council said in a radio interview it is not a matter that cannot be stopped according to the mayor’s will.

Oh has been critical of the one of major projects, implemented by former mayor Park Won-soon. Chairman Kim said a huge budget has been input, but stopping it now is a kind of waste of taxpayers’ money.

Mayor Oh participated in a cabinet meeting, presided over by President Moon on April 12, but he also met stiff opposition from cabinet members.

During the meeting, Oh proposed the use of self-diagnosis kits against COVID-19 pandemic and policies on real estate.

Minister Kwon Deok-cheol of the Ministry of Health and Welfare raised doubts about the use of self-diagnosis kits, saying that they are assistant means and speediness is a strength, but positive cases can be found to be negative.