Oh Se-hoon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oh Se-hoon
오세훈
Oh in 2023
Mayor of Seoul
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 April 2021
Preceded by	Park Won-soon
In office 1 July 2006 – 26 August 2011
Preceded by	Lee Myung-bak
Succeeded by	Park Won-soon
Member of the National Assembly
In office 30 May 2000 – 29 May 2004
Preceded by	Hong Sa-duk
Succeeded by	Gong Sung-jin
Constituency	Gangnam 2nd (Seoul)
Personal details
Born	(1961-01-04) 4 January 1961 (age 64) Seongdong District, Seoul, South Korea
Political party	People Power
Other political affiliations	Bareun Party (2017–2018) Liberty Korea (2000–2017, 2018–2020)
Spouse	Song Hyeon-ok
Children	2
Education	Korea University (LLB)
Profession	Politician lawyer
Religion	Roman Catholic (Christian name: Stephen)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	South Korea
Branch/service	Republic of Korea Army Army Security Command
Years of service	1988–1991
Rank	Jungwi (First Lieutenant)
Korean name
Hangul	오세훈
Hanja	吳世勳
RR	O Sehun
MR	O Sehun

Oh Se-hoon (Hangul: 오세훈; born 4 January 1961) is a South Korean politician and lawyer. He has served as the Mayor of Seoul, the capital city of South Korea, since 2021. He also held this important position from 2006 to 2011. Oh Se-hoon is a member of the People Power Party. Before becoming mayor, he was a member of the National Assembly, which is like the country's parliament, from 2000 to 2004.

Early Life and Education

Oh Se-hoon was born in Seongdong District, Seoul, South Korea, on January 4, 1961. He attended Daeil High School. Later, he studied at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies before transferring to Korea University's School of Law.

After finishing his law studies, he passed the bar exam and began working as a lawyer. In 1994, he became well-known to the public by appearing on an MBC television program called Lawyer Oh and Lawyer Bae [ko]. Oh Se-hoon is a Catholic, and his baptismal name is Stephen.

Political Journey

Starting in Politics

Oh Se-hoon began his political career in 2000. He was elected as a member of the 16th National Assembly. This was his first major role in national government.

Serving as Mayor of Seoul

Mayoralties of Oh Se-hoon
First term
July 1, 2006 – August 26, 2011
Party	Liberty Korea
Election	2006 2010
← Lee Myung-bak • Park Won-soon →
Second term
April 8, 2021 – present
Party	People Power
Election	2021, 2022
← Park Won-soon •

Oh Se-hoon first became the Mayor of Seoul on July 1, 2006. He was re-elected for a second term in 2010. However, he resigned in 2011 due to a disagreement over a proposal about free school lunches in Seoul.

After his first time as mayor, Oh Se-hoon spent some time in London, United Kingdom, in 2012. He studied how major cities around the world create jobs and help their economies grow.

In 2021, Oh Se-hoon ran for mayor again in a special election. He won the election, becoming the Mayor of Seoul for a third term on April 8, 2021. In September 2023, he met with the Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, to strengthen cultural and economic ties between Seoul and New York. This was part of his first official trip representing Seoul at the United Nations General Assembly meeting.

The Dongdaemun Design Plaza, a famous modern landmark in Seoul, was built during his time as mayor.

Seoul City Water Project

Oh Se-hoon has been a strong supporter of Seoul's tap water. He encourages residents to drink tap water instead of bottled water. He wants people to know that Seoul's tap water is clean and tastes good. From 2006 to 2011, he worked on the Han River Renaissance project. This project aimed to make Seoul a "city of water" by building bike paths along the river and creating floating islands called Sebitseom near the Banpo Bridge.

Because of his many water-related projects, some people jokingly called him "Oseidon." This nickname combines his name with Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. This nickname came up when Seoul experienced severe floods in 2011, 2022, and 2023.

Political Views

Protecting Minority Rights

Oh Se-hoon believes that the rights of all minority groups should be protected, and there should be no unfair treatment. He has discussed how public spaces, like City Hall square, are used for events. He stated that decisions about using these spaces for events, such as the Seoul Queer Culture Festival, are made by a special city committee following specific rules, not just by the mayor alone. In 2022, he mentioned that the Seoul Queer Parade might not be allowed to use the city hall plaza if participants showed inappropriate materials or too much of their bodies. In 2024, the Seoul Queer Parade was not allowed to gather at Seoul Plaza, with city officials saying a book festival was planned there instead.

Nuclear Weapons

Oh Se-hoon supports the idea of South Korea having its own nuclear weapons. He believes this would help the country protect itself against North Korea. In March 2023, he said that it's becoming harder to convince people that South Korea should not develop nuclear weapons.

Relations with President Yoon Suk Yeol

Oh Se-hoon is a member of the same political party, the People Power Party, as President Yoon Suk Yeol. However, Oh Se-hoon publicly disagreed with President Yoon's decision to declare martial law on December 3, 2024.

Electoral History

Oh Se-hoon has participated in several elections throughout his career. Here is a summary of his election results:

Writings

Oh Se-hoon has also written books:

• 가끔은 변호사도 울고싶다 (When a Lawyer Wants to Cry) by Oh Se-hoon (Myeongjin Publishing, October 1995) ISBN: 89-7677-030-7
• 우리는 실패에서 희망을 본다 (Failure Offers Seeds of Hope) by Kang Won-taek, Kim Ho-ghi, Oh Se-hoon, and Lee Young-jo (Hwanggeumgaji Publishing, August 2005) ISBN: 89-8273-930-0

See also

In Spanish: Oh Se-hoon para niños