Rep. Chun Hyun-hee, running in the Democratic Party of Korea's Seoul mayoral primary, joined the offensive against rival former Seongdong District Chief Chong Won-o. Chun said the criticism that the "Success Bus," one of Chong's signature achievements, violates the law is "nothing more than legitimate policy vetting based on statutes," adding that "trying to spin this negatively to shut it down is an 'attempt to gag.'"
On the 24th at the National Assembly, Chun held a press conference and said, "I express regret that, during the primary, policy vetting between candidates based on facts and statutes is being denounced as 'negative campaigning.'"
In response, on the 22nd, Chong's side rebutted Chun's criticism of the "Success Bus," saying, "Denying a tangible policy that has won public support is discourteous to the citizens who benefit from it." They added, "Rather than trying to score a rebound by blemishing another candidate's achievements, one should earn a fair evaluation with differentiated visions and policies."
Chun countered that the "Success Bus" program introduced by Chong "is being run, contrary to its original purpose of serving transportation-vulnerable people, as a de facto free commuting and daily-use bus for an unspecified public that is not mobility-vulnerable, such as wheelchair users." Chun added, "Because even basic facilities for disability access, such as low-floor buses, are lacking, people with disabilities, who are in fact transportation-vulnerable, find it difficult to use." Chun said, "This is a clear case of violating the Act on the Promotion of the Transportation Convenience of Mobility Disadvantaged Persons."
Chun also said, "You can see Seongdong residents getting off the Success Bus during commuting hours and transferring directly to the subway in many places," arguing, "This is proof that the bus is in effect being used as a means of public transportation." Chun added, "A district chief has no authority to operate this kind of public transportation service."
Chun continued the criticism, saying, "If this kind of unlawful transportation policy is introduced across all of Seoul, it would be no different from Mayor Oh Se-hoon's Han River Bus—populist, showcase administration that wastes taxpayers' money."
Chun also raised questions about the local government ordinance billed as preventing gentrification in Seongsu-dong, which Chong has touted as an achievement, saying, "Seongsu-dong currently has the highest rate of commercial rent increases in Seoul," and, "A detailed explanation is needed as to whether the claimed achievement—that the ordinance has stopped gentrification in Seongsu-dong—actually aligns with objective indicators and reality."