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[Herald Economy = Reporter Kim Hyun-kyung] A collapse at the Seosomun overpass demolition site on the 26th—three days before early voting begins for the June 3 local elections—has raised questions about whether the incident will shift voter sentiment in the Seoul mayoral race.
Following the government’s disclosure on the 15th that rebar was omitted in the GTX section near Samseong Station, this disaster has intensified public concern about infrastructure safety.
Democratic Party candidate Jung Won-oh and People Power Party candidate Oh Se-hoon both suspended campaigning after the accident, and both parties have adopted a cautious public posture.
Jung, who was meeting with the Innovative Venture Organizations Council in Guro-gu when he heard the news, immediately traveled to the Seosomun overpass collapse site.
He told reporters he rushed to the scene hoping to minimize harm and to speed up rescue efforts. He described the event as “deeply tragic and heartbreaking.”
On future campaign plans, Jung said he would wait for a detailed, responsible briefing from the rescue headquarters on the scale of the damage, the number of victims, and the expected timeline for recovery before deciding next steps. He added that he mourns the losses and hopes injured people recover quickly while casualties remain as limited as possible.
Oh also cut short a meeting with citizens on the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail in Mapo-gu and went to the site.
After receiving a briefing from Seoul’s disaster and safety director, Oh left the scene, saying that his presence could place an additional burden on rescue operations.
Oh’s campaign said he visited the site immediately after the accident to assess damage and urged rescuers to do everything possible to save lives. The campaign has paused election activity and is coordinating responses to manage the situation.
Jeong Cheong-rae, the Democratic Party’s campaign chair, and Jang Dong-hyuk, the People Power Party’s campaign chair, also halted scheduled campaign events immediately after the accident.
Both parties have instructed their members to avoid rhetoric that could inflame public sentiment, mindful that politicizing an incident with casualties could provoke a public backlash.
According to Yonhap, the Democratic Party issued guidance to its city and provincial branches to avoid excessive displays or provocative behavior.
Jeong Hee-yong, head of the People Power campaign, said on Facebook that shocking messages circulating in rival candidates’ supporter group chats appeared to wish for the damage to spread and urged campaign staff to refrain from reckless comments.
The accident occurred amid a heated dispute between the Seoul mayoral candidates over the omitted rebar issue.
Jung accused errors that occurred during Oh’s mayoral term of reflecting a “complacency about safety.”
Referencing the Sampoong Department Store collapse, Jung said the biggest factor then was effectively halved rebar during construction and asked who would take responsibility if a major tragedy occurred. He listed other incidents—the Itaewon disaster, the Umyeonsan landslide, flooding in Gangnam, and a fatal sinkhole in Gangdong—saying officials should examine why large-scale disasters repeatedly occurred under Mayor Oh.
Oh pushed back, accusing Jung’s camp of stoking public fear with what he called “rebar rumors” to influence voters.
On the 22nd, Oh argued that if there had been a real safety problem, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport would have halted trial runs; since it did not, he criticized Jung for exaggerating the issue into a rumor and using it as an election tactic to place sole responsibility on the Seoul city government.
On the morning of the Seosomun collapse, Oh highlighted that installing platform screen doors had effectively reduced subway fatalities to zero. He also pledged to extend seven subway lines through roughly 170 neighborhoods in Seoul to make a “10-minute walk to a subway station from home” a reality.
For now, both parties are exercising restraint, but a contentious debate over responsibility could erupt depending on the accident’s cause.
The Democratic Party may press a responsibility argument after cleanup and recovery efforts are complete to increase pressure on Oh.
Kim Hyun-jung, a spokesperson for the Democratic campaign, said in a statement the party will hold those responsible for safety lapses and the accident accountable, and emphasized that citizens’ safety and lives are the top priority.
The People Power Party moved quickly to defend itself, saying the tragic accident should not be politically exploited.
Jeong Hee-yong wrote on Facebook that now is the time to concentrate on swift recovery efforts and that no political strife should take precedence over the public’s life and safety.
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