Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon opts out of presidential race

Ruling party figure defies earlier expectations, commits to mayoral role amid political turmoil following president's removal

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announces he will not run for president during a press conference at the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Saturday. (Yonhap)

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced Saturday he will not enter South Korea's presidential race, contrary to widespread expectations that he would seek the nation's highest post following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's removal from office.

Speaking at a press conference at People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Oh expressed his commitment to continue serving as mayor instead of pursuing the presidency in the June 3 election.

"While driving forward is certainly a virtue for any politician, knowing when to step back requires equal courage," Oh said. "I will not be running in this presidential election but will instead serve in a supporting role to help restore normalcy to this abnormal situation."

Oh acknowledged the repercussions of Yoon's ouster, which has created deep fissures within South Korea's conservative political landscape and has put the ruling party on the defensive.

"The impeachment of a president from our own party brings me indescribable devastation and an endless sense of responsibility," Oh said. "None of us in the party can escape our share of accountability for the failures of the Yoon administration."

The decision marks a reversal from local media reports citing Oh's camp earlier this week that he would formally announce his presidential bid on Sunday.

It also comes amid mounting political pressure within the People Power Party to find a viable candidate following Yoon's removal from the presidency. The conservative ruling party plans to hold primary elections on May 3, just one month before the presidential election.

Oh, who has served four terms as Seoul's mayor across different periods (2006-2011 and 2021-present), had been viewed as one of several leading conservative contenders according to recent polls.

The field includes former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, a staunch defender of Yoon who represents the party's hard-right faction; Han Dong-hoon, the former party leader who broke ranks to support Yoon's impeachment; and Ahn Cheol-soo, a tech entrepreneur-turned-lawmaker making his fourth presidential bid.

Polls show they all significantly trail Lee Jae-myung, the main opposition Democratic Party leader who declared his candidacy earlier this week, both in head-to-head matchups and multi-candidate scenarios.

The presidential election, scheduled for June 3, follows the parliamentary vote to impeach President Yoon after his shock declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. On April 4, the South Korean Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment motion in a unanimous 8-0 decision.