As the Democratic Party of Korea finished assigning commissioners to standing committees for the latter half of the 22nd National Assembly, the makeup of the Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee (Land Committee) is drawing political attention. In the first half, there was not a single Democratic Party commissioner from a Seoul district on the Land Committee, but three have been placed there for the latter half. Observers say the Democratic Party of Korea is taking the real estate sentiment confirmed in the Seoul mayoral election seriously.
According to political circles on the 7th, the Democratic Party of Korea assigned 17 lawmakers to the Land Committee for the latter half. What stands out are lawmakers with districts in Seoul. Three lawmakers — Kim Nam-geun (Seongbuk-gu-eul), Lee Yong-seon (Yangcheon-gu-eul), and Hwang Hee (Yangcheon-gu-gap) — were assigned to the Land Committee. It is also notable that all lawmakers from Yangcheon-gu, which includes Mok-dong ahead of large-scale redevelopment, were assigned to the Land Committee.
In the first half, there was not a single Democratic Party lawmaker with a Seoul district on the Land Committee. Political circles see this as the Democratic Party of Korea signaling its intent to address Seoul's real estate issues head-on.
In the Seoul mayoral election, the Democratic Party of Korea suffered a bitter defeat. Up to just before the vote, many assessments had Chong Won-o in the lead, but he allowed a come-from-behind win to Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party at the end of the count. After failing to retake the mayor's office, the entire local election was widely viewed as effectively a loss, and it also became a fuse for internal conflict.
Inside and outside the Democratic Party of Korea, many point to the failure to capture real estate sentiment as one of the main causes of the loss in the Seoul mayoral race. In areas where Oh led Chong, redevelopment complexes were uniformly at issue, and the results clearly split along apartment prices. Oh led not only in the three Gangnam districts, where Chong had focused his efforts, but also in Dunchon 1-dong in Gangdong-gu, Mok-dong, and Seongsu-dong 1 and 2-ga.
A political source said, "If the Democratic Party of Korea does not present a proper solution on real estate, the results show that Gangdong, Yangcheon, and Yeongdeungpo will not be safe not only in the local elections but also in the upcoming general election," adding, "That is why the party placed Seoul-area lawmakers at the forefront on the Land Committee, which handles real estate issues."
Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers from Seoul districts assigned to the Land Committee also showed determination to resolve real estate issues. One lawmaker said, "Oh Se-hoon has only drawn up district plans under the fast-track planning program and is not doing it properly, so we cannot leave it to him," adding, "We are looking for ways to invigorate supply and related measures even through LH."