|
Seoul split over Oh's bet on vote |
|
|
In the left photo, members of conservative civic groups urge citizens to cast their ballots in the referendum to stop a full-scale free school lunch program in a media conference at Seoul Plaza, central Seoul, Monday. In the right photo, religious group members hold a rally to dissuade people from voting to annul the poll during a separate demonstration in front of City Hall.
/ Korea Times photos by Sohn Yong-seok
|
By Kim Rahn
While campaigns from both groups supporting and opposing the residents’ vote on the free school lunch program are heating up, people are split over Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s staking his job on the result of the referendum.
Some citizens and conservative civic groups support his wager, saying it showed his commitment for “true welfare,” while others were negative about what they thought was a political show.
The National Anti-Populism Union (NAPU), a civic group supporting Oh’s plan to give free lunches only to students in low-income brackets, respected Oh’s decision.
“Wagering his job is an expression of his strong will to oust populist welfare policy. We respect a person who stakes his position in an important moment of history,” the union said in a statement Sunday in response to the mayor’s press briefing.
An Internet user named Shin Myeong-seok posted, “After Oh announced he will quit if the vote is rejected, many people may have realized how important the vote is. Now, every patriot should go to the polling stations and cast his or her ballot, so that the turnout will be over 50 percent.”
Not everyone felt the same way. Others were not favorable to Oh risking his position, describing it as “overacting.”
Oh Eun-jeong, a company worker, said she supports Oh’s policy but the mayor needs to stop his excessive behaviour. “People may know it was a performance to bring conservative residents in Gangnam to polling stations. But whatever his purpose is, what he should offer in order to raise turnout is sincerity, not a political show.”
Kang So-eun, a gallery employee in central Seoul said, “Oh became the mayor through citizens’ ballots. Even though he may not be able to promote his policies as planned when people vote against him, he has to keep serving Seoul citizens during his remaining term.”
Some worried about possible suspension of projects promoted by Oh, such as the Han River Renaissance, if he quits and an opposition party member takes the post.
“If someone replaces Oh, the successor should maintain or suspend pending projects after considering various aspects including economic advantages and disadvantages, benefits to citizens and the city’s brand value, regardless of political interest. I just hope the successor, if belonging to an opposition party, will not reverse the policies simply because they were promoted by Oh of the rival party,” Yun Ji-yeon, an employee at a finance firm, said.
Some are indifferent to the referendum. “They are just barking at each other. I think both sides are trying to ‘show off’ their ‘achievements’ if there are any,” Gangnam resident Cho Yun-jeong said.
Campaigns peak>/b>
Groups both supporting and opposing the free school meals are making all-out efforts to woo citizens, as Aug. 24, the day to vote is just around the corner.
Four college students’ groups supporting Oh expressed their wish for a successful referendum at Seoul Plaza, publicizing the vote in a performance symbolizing Aug. 24 and 33.3 percent, the quorum to make the poll valid.
Citizens United for a Better Society, a conservative civic group, held a forum and emphasized the importance of the vote as a tool for direct democracy.
On the other end, a civic coalition campaigning to boycott the referendum asked the Seoul Metropolitan Election Council to file a petition against Oh, claiming he has violated a public servant’s obligation to remain neutral by urging people to cast their ballots during his speech staking his job on Sunday.
The group also asked the commission to take action against a text message sent to 4 million people to promote the vote under the name of NAPU over the weekend.
A college students’ association, religious groups and opposition Democratic Party’s Seoul-based female members took to the streets to campaign for a boycott of the vote.
|
|
서울시장의 승부수에 둘로 갈린 서울
무상급식 찬반 단체들의 홍보전이 뜨거운 가운데, 오세훈 서울시장이 주민투표 결과에 시장직을 걸겠다고 한 것에 대해 시민들의 반응이 극을 달리고 있다.
보수단체들은 오시장의 선언이 “참된 복지”에 대한 의지를 보여주었다고 하는 반면, 다른 이들은 정치쇼라며 반대하는 입장이다.
복지포퓰리즘추방 국민운동본부는 오시장의 결단을 존중한다고 밝혔다. 이 단체는 성명서를 통해 “시장직을 걸은 것은 복지포퓰리즘 추방에의 강력한 의지 표명이다. 역사의 중요한 순간에 자신을 내건 데에 경의를 표한다”고 말했다.
한 블로거도 “오시장이 시장직을 건다고 하니 이제 많은 사람들이 주민투표가 얼마나 중요한지 알았을 것이다. 애국자들은 모두 달려가 투표해 투표율 50%를 넘겨야 한다”고 주장했다.
그러나 다른 이들은 오시장의 결심이 지나쳤다며 부정직인 반응을 보였다.
회사원 오은정씨는 오시장의 정책을 지지하지만 과도한 행동은 삼가야 한다고 말했다. 오시는 “사람들은 이게 강남 보수층들을 투표장으로 끌어내기 위한 퍼포먼스라는 걸 알고 있을 것이다. 목적이 무엇이든간에, 투표율을 높이기 위해서 필요한 건 진정성이지 정치적인 쇼가 아니다”라고 말했다.
미술관에 근무하는 강소은씨는 “오시장은 주민들의 투표로 시장이 되었다. 투표 결과가 안좋게 나와 정책을 계획대로 이룰 수 없을지라도 남은 임기 동안 시민들에게 봉사해야 한다”고 말했다.
어떤 이들은 만약 오시장이 그만두고 야당 후보가 서울시장이 되어 그동안의 정책을 중지시킬까봐 우려를 나타냈다. 금융회사에 다니는 윤지연씨는 “누군가 오시장의 뒤를 잇는다면 그 다음 시장은 정치적 이해에 관계없이, 경제적 손익, 시민들의 편의, 도시 브랜드 등 다양한 것을 고려해 정책을 계속 추진하거나 중지하거나 해야한다. 단지 오시장이 했던거라고 정책을 바꾸는 것은 안했으면 좋겠다”라고 말했다.
투표에 무관심한 층도 있다. 강남구 주민 조윤정씨는 “찬성이나 반대하는 쪽 모두 서로를 헐뜯기만 한다. 서로 자기 업적만 홍보하려 하는 것 같다”고 말했다.
|
|
