On the 15th, Lee Jeong-hyun, chair of the People Power Party's Nomination Committee, returned and immediately launched an additional call for Seoul mayor candidates—an action widely seen as aimed at Mayor Oh Se-hoon. Lee asserted control despite party leaders' repeated insistence on nomination principles and their expressed opposition; he even threatened resignation to press his position.
Lee had resigned on the 13th, saying he had concluded it was no longer possible to pursue change and innovation in the nomination process. After party leaders persuaded him, he made a surprise return on the 15th.
In a statement after his return, Lee said party leader Jang Dong-hyeok had asked him to \"complete the nomination reform\" and entrusted him with full authority over nominations. Lee said he accepted that authority as a grave responsibility and, while acknowledging it might seem presumptuous, would resume the chairmanship of the Nomination Committee—and that he would accept full responsibility for the outcome.
The committee announced it would publish the additional Seoul mayor nomination notice on the 16th, accept applications on the 17th, and conduct interviews on the 18th. The panel described Mayor Oh Se-hoon as \"a valuable asset to our party and an important leader who has driven Seoul's development\" and urged him to take part in the nomination process.
Earlier, party leader Jang had publicly opposed an additional call, stressing adherence to nomination principles. But Lee's resignation, subsequent restoration of authority, and insistence have carried the day.
Mayor Oh has been demanding personnel changes within the party and the creation of an innovative campaign headquarters, and has so far held his ground. With none of those demands accepted by the leadership, it remains unclear whether he will respond to the committee's renewed call.
Political analysts note Lee's authority is confined to nomination matters, which limits his ability to address broader party personnel reforms. Such shake-ups, they say, would be difficult to implement without active backing from the party leadership.
Oh's camp argues that if he applies without the leadership agreeing to his conditions, he would risk a direct confrontation with the party, would be unlikely to obtain a guaranteed single-candidate nomination, and would incur significant political costs.
Local political circles have criticized the Nomination Committee for what they call a double standard—demanding strict personnel reform in strongholds such as Daegu and North Gyeongsang, while appearing to bend rules to favor a particular candidate in Seoul.
A People Power Party official warned that the committee applies harsh standards in Daegu and North Gyeongsang in the name of \"personnel reform,\" yet is willing to amend rules to accommodate a Seoul mayoral candidate—moves that could fuel disputes over the overall fairness of the local elections.
