In the June 3 local elections, the joint debate for Seoul mayoral candidates is expected to be limited to just one round. The only scene where People Power Party candidate Oh Se-hoon and Democratic Party of Korea candidate Chong Won-o face off appears likely to be the statutory debate hosted by the National Election Commission on the 28th. Compared with an average of 3.3 joint debates in the past five Seoul mayoral races, it is a paltry number. Voters are saying, "If we are to determine the candidate we can trust to run Seoul, it is right to hold more joint debates."
◇Oh Se-hoon: "A two-way debate is absolutely necessary"; Chong Won-o: "We will take part only in the NEC joint debate"
On the 14th, candidates Chong Won-o and Oh Se-hoon attended a forum hosted by the Editors Association at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in separate sessions at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Each held a Q&A with media figures centered on campaign pledges, and a simultaneous debate with the two candidates facing each other did not materialize. The Kwanhun Club debate scheduled for the 20th is likewise expected to be a sequential format rather than a two-way debate.
That day, Oh held a press conference and, addressing Chong, said, "A two-way debate is absolutely necessary," adding, "In particular, I propose a two-way debate on real estate, transportation, and current issues."
Justice Party candidate Kwon Young-guk also issued a commentary, saying, "The TV debate, where we can present our vision through debate to voters and be vetted, will be held only once—at 11 p.m. on the night before early voting begins (the joint debate hosted by the NEC on the 28th)," and added, "Even if one gets elected after avoiding debates like this, which citizen would truly recognize it?"
In response, Chong said, "Besides today's (solo) debate, there are two more (solo) debates, and one joint debate (hosted by the NEC) remains," adding, "In the 20 days left, I will meet many citizens directly."
A political source said, "A candidate with a potentially controversial issue may shun joint debates out of concern that the controversy will grow and cost votes."
◇In past races, major Seoul mayoral candidates held an average of 3.3 joint debates
In the previous five Seoul mayoral elections, major ruling and opposition candidates took part in an average of 3.3 joint debates. In addition to the statutory debate hosted by the NEC, they joined at least two more joint debates.
By year, in 2011, candidates Park Won-soon and Na Kyung-won each took part in five joint debates; in 2014, Park Won-soon and Chung Mong-joon each took part in four. In 2018, Park Won-soon and Kim Moon-soo each joined two, and in 2021, Oh Se-hoon and Park Young-sun each joined three joint debates.
In 2022, Oh Se-hoon took part in two joint debates, and Song Young-gil in three. Six days before the NEC-hosted multi-candidate debate, which was a statutory requirement, Oh attended a two-way debate hosted by the Korea Broadcasting Journalists Club. At the time, Democratic Party of Korea candidate Song Young-gil said Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party was "avoiding debates."
Meanwhile, a 2021 National Election Commission survey found that 98.1% of all respondents said "candidate debates are necessary." Also, 67.9% said their interest in the election increased after watching debates. More than half of respondents (52.7%) said the number of statutory debates "should be increased from the current one to three."