Seoul mayor heats up 2012 presidential race

In a lecture at Harvard University on the first leg of his U.S. tour Tuesday, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, “I felt responsible amid Korea facing a critical watershed.” The theme of the lecture was originally “Seoul City Administration.” In his speech, however, Oh ended up mentioning national issues including the introduction of strategic nuclear weapons and security at nuclear power plants. On his future course of action, he said, “Politics is a flexible thing,” suggesting a bid for the presidency next year.

As the mayor prepares to join the presidential race, the drive for an open competition for the ruling Grand National Party’s candidacy, in which former chief Park Geun-hye has held a dominant lead, will likely gain momentum. Other candidates who have announced their presidential bids, including Gyeonggi Province Gov. Kim Moon-soo and former party leader Chung Mong-joon, are set to accelerate their moves to run. When considering the potential impact that the results of the April 27 by-elections will have on the ruling and opposition parties’ leaderships, political factions could seek to step up their bids to gain the upper hand in the presidential race.

People in and out of the ruling camp said that since the ruling party can hardly afford to hold next year’s general and presidential election under the leadership of incumbent party leader Ahn Sang-soo, the party needs to display fresh leadership to the public regardless of the by-elections results. As Oh has effectively initiated his move to join the presidential race, attention is on who among other majors and provincial governors from the both ruling and opposition parties will join the fray as well.

The upcoming presidential race should serve as a stage where many candidates emerge and convene a race of goodwill. Under a democratic political system, anyone with the will to serve the nation should be able to present a future blueprint for the Republic of Korea, engage in heated debate, and let the public and party members choose a candidate of their choice. It is time for Korea to overcome the outdated practice of competition based on political forces through the mobilization of funds and organizational capacity.

The president is the CEO and chief designer of Korea, Inc. The success or failure of the five years under the next administration will again determine the fate of the Republic of Korea. Under this circumstance, electing the president through a method of horseracing or populist vote constitutes an act of giving up the people`s rights bestowed by the Constitution. Voters should not only blame the political circle without exercising their right to vote based on cool-minded judgment.

Oh’s refusal to give a clear-cut answer on his future course of action is seen as part of his strategy to dodge controversy over his past comment that he will complete his term as Seoul mayor. Under election law, Oh can maintain his mayoral post even if he joins the ruling party’s open competition for the presidential candidate.

On confusion surrounding his mayoral position, however, he must behave in a responsible manner by courageously disclosing things that require disclosure and taking responsibility accordingly.